The Southern Oregon Lavender Trail (SOLT) comprises four lavender farms and a nursery in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon between Jacksonville and Grants Pass. We are local farmers who are dedicated to growing quality lavender, making handmade lavender products, maintaining the Applegate Valley’s agricultural heritage and contributing to the region’s development of a tourism industry.
This year, we are working harder than ever to educate our visitors on the importance of taking care of our pollinators. Most of us love the smell of lavender and the fact that it is such a bee and butterfly-friendly plant which has lead the members of SOLT to encourage the region’s gardeners to plant more of it. Pansies, petunias and begonias are showy and look lovely in the garden but they are not as beneficial to our fragile pollinator population. In general, old-fashioned cottage garden perennials, like lavender, are more environmentally friendly. And once they are planted, they will last a long time.
To learn more about the many varieties of lavender, how to grow and maintain healthy plants, and how to create habitats to support our bees and butterflies, be sure to stop at the SOLT farms during the summer flowering season (Fri-Sun, mid-June to late August). For a special treat, visit on June 26-27-28 when the SOLT lavender destinations participate in the Southern Oregon Lavender Festival. Each venue offers various festivities including food vendors, crafts, music, home-crafted lavender products, potted plants, face painting, pollinator education, distillation demos, and of course, rows and rows of beautiful lavender flowers to stroll through. Find-out more by visiting the Southern Oregon Lavender Trail website or Facebook page.
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