Lavender Farm glorious to behold

Just outside town, Wa¯ naka Lavender Farm is 12 hectares of sheer delight. From late spring to autumn, pleasingly neat rows – straight and curved – of purple flowers stretch in all directions against a backdrop of rocky mountains and under the great blue bowl of the sky.

Thanks to the enthusiasm and effort of the Zeestraten brothers, in just 11 years, bare cow paddocks have now been planted with tens of thousands of lavender bushes, attracting year-round visitors – people and bees.

Planting different varieties means a long flowering season, and harvesting, some of it done by hand, happens from late-January into March. Growing this soothing plant is a full-on business, from taking cuttings for new plants to extracting the oils in an on-site still and turning them into a variety of products.

WHY GO?

Because, gorgeously scented and photogenic though it is, there’s so much more here than just lavender. A pretty, formally laidout cottage garden in front of a long stone building is bursting with colourful flowering perennials. Inside you’ll find the shop selling all manner of lavender-scented goodies, from soap, oils and creams to tea, honey and even chocolate.

You can do a honey-tasting, or get properly stuck in at the tearoom with all sorts of deliciousness, naturally rich in lavender- and honey-infused flavours. There’s even a local artisan’s ice cream, similarly flavoured, to enjoy.

Back outside, there are neat green lawns where you can play petanque and giant versions of games including draughts and Connect 4, and paddocks where friendly farm animals are rarely far from the fences. Alpacas, kunekune pigs, miniature ponies and donkeys, chickens, highland cattle and sheep live here, many of them rescues or retired, and all well used to visitors. Out in the lavender fields is the increasingly famous door-tonowhere, beloved of Instagram fans.

INSIDER TIP

Where there are millions of flowers, there will always be plenty of bees. But they are lavender-laid back, and rarely a nuisance. Have your coffee shot before you come – there’s none to be had here, because of its intrusive smell.

ON THE WAY/

NEARBY

Basecamp Climbing Centre offers a range of exciting challenges, though it’s perhaps not recommended if you’re all fired up from watching a Tom Cruise movie at the cosy Ruby’s Boutique Cinema next door. Puzzling World has lots of visual and mental challenges involving hands-on fun. So too does the National Transport and Toy and Museum, which has something for everyone, from a rabbit riding a Honda to magnificent vintage cars. And then of course there’s that beautiful lake to enjoy, glorious in all seasons.

HOW MUCH?

Closed on Christmas Day only, the Lavender Farm is open from 9am-5pm most of the year. In summer the self-tour Farm Experience is $10 adult, $5 children (5-15 years), and in winter it’s $5 and $2. Book ahead if you’re planning a photo shoot.

BEST TIME TO GO

Whenever you’re needing some visual and olfactory delight. See: wanakalavenderfarm.com

Staying safe: New Zealand is currently under Covid-19 restrictions. Follow the instructions at covid19.govt.nz.