Lavender had attracted us for a long time. But the decisive moment was a trip to the lavender mecca, the Provence region in France, around 2009. Enchanted by the vast fields, the scent covering literally everything, centuries of cultivation and the lifestyle of local farmers across the region. Déjà vu…. It was subconsciously decided then, even though the actual start of realisation and turning ideas into reality in our beautiful Vltava valley setting only came a decade later, in 2020, with the gradual reclamation of our own field on the edge of the gold-mining town of Nový Knín.
Lavender never ceases to amaze and fascinate us, in any season. In spring we are surprised by the rapid regrowth of the bushes with new shoots, at flowering time by the uplifting fragrance and the shift into purple tones. Simply being in such a magical micro-world is a wonderful therapy, a Zen-like spiritual experience. So even our own work in the field or the surrounding space is pleasant and fulfilling.
Lavender is successfully grown in many different parts of the world. So it is not such a surprise that growers in our mild Central European belt also work with it, which encouraged us in our resolve to start our own farm. The local climate, sheltered on one side by the Brdy hills and on the other by the Vltava hills, a short distance from Prague, is relatively favourable for lavender, and even winter here is not as harsh as in higher parts of the Czech basin. Our plot, after being returned from a commercial tenant, was free but full of fodder alfalfa and overgrown with scrub. In 2020 the demanding work began: clearing scrub, battling ubiquitous alfalfa, diverting a wild field path that ran through our space, and overall cultivation (with respect for nature and the shapes of the surrounding terrain, of course without chemicals or heavy machinery). The following year – in spring 2021 – a third of the plot was planted, 5500 plants in total, predominantly the Grosso variety, with a smaller amount of true lavender. For the ceremonial space inside the field we used the white variant of Grosso for design emphasis.
From the beginning, the whole family and close friends have been involved in everything around the lavender, the whole space, sales, economic, media and other activities.
At present we use our lavender plot not only for growing lavender but also for wedding ceremonies, full weddings, short-term rentals for photographers, picnics and other occasional events.
Plans for the future: A self-sufficient off-grid lavender farm in a natural eco regime, with elements of permaculture philosophy, smooth expansion with suitable plants, further aesthetic cultivation for broader cultural and social use, according to our means, freely, strictly without any subsidies, chemicals or heavy machinery. Developing cooperation with like-minded entities in the micro-region, our beloved town of Nový Knín, and ALWAYS with RESPECT for the life-giving spirit of NATURE.