PEMBERVILLE — The increasing popularity of lavender can be experienced by the row at the Luckey Road Lavender Farm.

Owner Kylee Wongrowski said both the scents and sights of the various shades of the purple plant must be experienced.

“I think people enjoy the scent of lavender, and the color’s fantastic. I think the color itself is very, very nice to look at,” Wongrowski said. “When you see it in a whole field, it’s beautiful.”

Wongrowski and her husband, Scott, took a piece of his family farm and planted 850 lavender plants, of several different varieties. The one-time hog farm is now the site of their u-pick lavender retail farm, that takes up almost four acres on the front of their property.

They also have some potted plant sales, which begin on June 17 and continue until they are sold out, which takes about three weeks. The retail operation is only regularly open on weekends, except for special events.

The farm has been open for four years and had steadily increasing popularity, which she credits to allowing photographers. They come out and use the space during the week, when the farm isn’t open. The facility is also open for special rentals and the regular Tuesday evening yoga classes, that take place between the rows of lavender.

“I think that has helped people appreciate it more,” Wongrowski said. “And then there are all the other things you can do with it, from the homeopathic things and herbal properties.”

Lavender is credited as being an herbal remedy for calming, relaxation and healing. Wongrowski puts lavender buds under band aids, when she gets a cut.

“I feel it’s the Swiss Army knife of healing,” she said.

She said the plant is also used for craft and culinary purposes, both of which people can learn about during the weekend classes the farm hosts. On June 17 there will be a chef, a pastry chef and a bartender, each teaching culinary uses for the plant.

On June 25 they will host Lavender Fest. It’s meant to coincide with the first day lavender is in full bloom. The farm will have lavender related vendors and makers, along with food trucks.

Later in the summer there will be a bath bomb class and a beekeeping class. Wongrowski calls the second class Beekeeping 101, given by the owner of Stony Ridge Apiaries, whose hives are on the Wongrowski property.

Wongrowski will grow as many as five different varieties in a year, each a little different, in sight and smell.

“If you think of the scent of lavender, you’re probably thinking of a lavender air freshener, and some people find that to be very strong and off-putting. It’s very much something that you either love it or you hate it,” Wongrowski said. “But with the different varieties come real subtleties in the way that they smell, or the way that they taste. That’s not something you would be able to experience, unless you go to a place that grows different varieties. I think that’s something that makes it kind of neat too.”

She said that bundles of lavender are sold for $10 each and the various classes are typically the same price. The yoga class accommodates all levels, and there’s no need to RSVP, as there’s acres of space.

“It’s cut flowers that people take home to dry and to either cook with or use for craft things, or just to enjoy in your home,” Wongrowski said.

The Luckey Road Lavender Farm is at 19587 Luckey Road. The website is www.luckeylavender.com/.

(The Sentinel-Tribune’s Home, Garden & Golf special edition is in Saturday’s newspaper and online at https://www.sent-trib.com/2023/04/29/home-garden-golf/)