With husband Stuart, Jan owns Lavender Abbey, a spray-free 3ha lavender farm in Carterton. Today, over 4,000 plants, made up of seven varieties, are grown annually.
The French lavender Grosso with its powerful fragrance and aromatic buds is the flagship variety. Its flowers are turned into 20 products including lavender oil. An English variety, Violet Intrigue, is also grown for oil.
The Abernethys moved to Wairarapa from Wellington 15 years ago and Jan told Hort News that they fell in love with lavender and its huge range of uses.
"When I look back at how we started and where we are now, there's a great feeling of satisfaction," she says.
"At first, I was pottering around with lavender plants and over time it developed into a hobby. For me, it's all about enjoying and making products from lavender."
Cultivating and growing lavender is hard work. At Lavender Abbey, the job typically starts in spring and finishes in February when the flower crop is harvested and made into its multi award-winning lavender 100% pure essential oil using the steam distillation method.
"Using our lavender pure essential oil, we create a variety of natural lavender products which support health and wellness," explains Jan.
"The best thing about our NZ made lavender products is the fact they're made with love from high-quality, unspoilt lavender grown in some of the world's best quality soil in the freshest New Zealand air and sunshine."
Jan and Stuart's hard work at Lavender Abbey have been recognised, both locally and overseas.
Last year, they were awarded gold for Grosso and Violet Intrigue lavender oil at the prestigious US Lavender Sommelier awards. In September 2022, Lavender Abbey won the Best Lavender Oil in NZ for its Grosso oil, receiving the prestigious Eoin Johnson Memorial Trophy and the Ken Wilson Memorial Trophy. They also received six other silver awards for other lavender oil varieties, and won the gold award in 2021 from the Australian Lavender Growers Association for its Violet Intrigue lavender oil.
The Abernethys are members of the New Zealand Lavender Growers Association, formed in 1995 to promote production of lavender oil in New Zealand and to provide information to assist its members.
The association says its members are spread geographically from Katikati in the north to Dunedin in the south.
Summer is a great time to be on a lavender farm in NZ - that's when flowers are in bloom. The purple flower beds also form the backdrop to many photoshoots for birthdays and weddings.
Visitor numbers at Lavender Abbey rise in summer thanks to the 'pick your own lavender' event. Jan says visitors from all over New Zealand turn up to "experience the aroma and beauty of lavender".
"Every year in January, for the past 11 years, we've hosted a 'pick your own lavender' event at our Dalefield Road property in Carterton, just an hour's drive from Wellington," she told Hort News.
"It is a 'not to miss' summer weekend event, where we throw open the gates to our lavender field so you can pick your own lavender and share in our slice of Provence."
Since October 2022, visitors can shop at the 'The Big Box of Lavender', which stocks Lavender Abbey products, flowerpots and tins, candles, chinaware and linen, cards, and other gifts.
Lavender Abbey's Crop
- French lavender (lavandula x imtermedia 'Grosso') - Grosso has an extraordinary powerful fragrance and aromatic buds.
- English lavender (L. angustifolia 'Pacific Blue') - Pacific Blue is known for its sweeter fragrance, making it perfect for cooking, baking or a relaxing cup of tea.
- English lavender (L. angusitfolia 'Violet Intrigue') - Violet Intrigue is a very special lavender oil, noted for its vibrant violet flower and heady soothing scent.
- The other varieties grown are Rosea, Blue Mountain White, Myra, Elizabeth and Hidcote.
