Sequim Sweet Sequim

August 9th, 2023: Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm enchanted me with diverse flora & fauna and late afternoon skies that appeared in early morning hours.

With nine farms along the Sequim Lavender Trail, this peaceful Olympic Peninsula town is known as the Lavender Capital of North America. Sequim, pronounced squim, is unlike anywhere I've ever been. There's not a single place it reminds me of. Sequim brings an experience only Sequim can.

Ever since I left, I've been daydreaming about going back. Being someone whose PTO is mentally allocated to various trips from now through 2026, I know it might not be for a while. But being the living embodiment of "where there's a will, there's a way," I'm sure I'll return to Sequim as soon as the urge becomes too loud to ignore.

Maybe it was the lavender that lured me. Or the way the sky appeared like it was on the verge of a vibrant golden hour-sunset transition all day. Maybe it was the lovely chance encounters I had with memorable people from farm to farm. Like the Olympic rain shadow that helps create the perfect conditions for lavender to grow and flourish in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains, the elements of my time in the Sequim-Dungness Valley sparked a feeling in me that is uniquely Sequim.

Serendipity brought me to Sequim. I drove from Seattle to far eastern Washington to visit my dear mayor friend and surround myself with glorious wheat hills for days. From Palouse Country, I made my way to Leavenworth with plans to head north for the Cascade Range and Bellingham. It wasn't until I was tucked away for the night, beginning to review my route for the next day, that I realized the main road that runs through North Cascades National Park was closed.

I used every GPS my fingers could find sure there had to be some mistake, but at 9:37 pm, with just two hours and 22 minutes left to cancel tomorrow's hotel penalty-free, I discovered that wildfires had infiltrated the park and wreaked havoc on my best-laid plans. I have never had to pivot on a trip so quickly.

And it wasn't just a day that was being interrupted. If I wasn't going to the Cascades, I wasn't going to Bellingham or Picture Lake in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. I wasn't hitting Twisp, Wintrop, or any other cute towns I've yet to discover along the way. This literal roadblock was calling for a 4-day, rest-of-the-trip reroute. It could've thrown me, it could've stressed me, but an obvious solution surfaced instantly, and only ease arose within me. By 10:12 pm, I had canceled old and booked new hotels.

You see, back when I was first planning this trip, I trimmed about a week's worth of Washington adventures to fit one short week and one small budget. So when one national park was taken off the table, my brain naturally replaced it with another: Olympic National Park. In a matter of minutes, I changed course from venturing up to the Canadian border to heading due west to the Pacific Ocean. But, of course, I couldn't just go to Olympic—I had to go to Gig Harbor, Port Townsend, two lighthouses, and, you guessed it, Sequim.

As a lavender lover and a promoter of places and things less publicized, the Sequim Lavender Experience has been on my radar and high on my must-do list for years. And it is no coincidence whatsoever that my visit fell during peak lavender season. My reroute was meant to be. I even found my name written in art in a studio window on E Washington Street. It was as if it was a call to create. 

I found artistic inspiration everywhere I went in Sequim. I met wonderful people at every stop along the trail. Every sight, every soul had a bit of wisdom to impart. I've been carrying them all with me ever since.

You come to Sequim to experience lavender and, if you're lucky like me, something deeper. Serenity washes over you and makes its way inside. Stress levels must be measurably lower in this coastal mountain town. I remember being out of my head and more in touch with my body. It was a truly freeing experience.

I didn't get to visit all of them, but each farm along the Sequim Lavender Trail emits a flavor and a fragrance all its own. 

In order of visitation...

Cedarbrook Lavender Farm

This shop was an appropriate first stop along my leisurely lavender cruise. I walked through the door and exhaled with a smile. It was an instant, "Ah, yes, this is somewhere I belong" feeling created by that potent aroma I adore, elegant Ella Fitzgerald-era jazz, lighting that felt warm and inviting, and white-washed wooden furniture holding heaps of beautifully packaged lavender products just waiting to be mine.

Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm

This farm brought me a breath of fresh lavender under some of the prettiest skies I've ever seen. Gardens filled with an abundance of exotic blooms and accents of charming outdoor decor ignited my inner wonder. There was so much to see—every few steps, I paused to take more pictures. With so many places to sit and listen to buzzing bees bouncing from bushel to bushel, this was an easy place to indulge in relaxation and lose track of time.

B&B Family Farm

This charming farm offered up some of the most inventive lavender-scented products I couldn't resist. From laundry dryer bags and detergent to drawer liners and body socks—I'm still not quite sure what that last one is, but I'm certain I want it. This farm helped me realize I'm most partial to English lavender. I'm positively hooked on their lotions. This is also where I met two cousins, Lori and Bonnie from Texas, taking their first road trip without their husbands. I was proud of them. They were proud of me. I loved my time talking to them outside. I loved my time shopping inside.

Fleurish Lavender of Lost Mountain 

The care and attention to detail that go into every product they create and every plant they grow (all 100 of them) becomes apparent in less than a lap around this farm's grounds or its picture-perfect cottage. Every piece of this farm feels like it has the best intentions baked in, and it creates an aura of acceptance and appreciation—a recipe for fleurishing. I was inspired to write and paint the moment I walked through that lavender-trim door. And I could've chatted with kindred spirit and farm owner Doug all day. My time here alone was enough to solidify Sequim as a must-revisit destination.

In Bloom Lavender Farms

On an August afternoon, I had this pretty place all to myself. I ended up wandering the grounds for much longer than I intended. I felt a little like Alice in Wonderland, happily lost in my own little world, bouncing from distraction to attraction. Once again, there was so much to see and scenic angles to photograph. Inside their quaint farmhouse shop that reminded me of Rose Apothecary with a Lavandula twist, art hung and spoke to me. Their excellent product branding also flirted with my inner marketer.