Your guide to visiting Salt Spring Island's only lavender farm
One of Salt Spring Island's best-kept secrets, Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm is the kind of place that photographs can't quite capture. The scale, colour & fragrance is best experienced in person. When the fields are in full bloom in July and early August, it is a feast for the senses.
About Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm
Established in 2001 by Ben and Jacqueline Sutton, Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm is a certified organic farm nestled in the foothills of Mount Tuam in the south of Salt Spring Island. The property grows over 60 varieties of lavender across 2.5 acres of cultivated fields, making it one of the most diverse lavender collections in Western Canada.
The farm takes its name from the mountain it sits on. Mount Tuam holds deep significance in the traditions of the Coast Salish peoples who have called this land home for thousands of years, and the farm's name reflects a deliberate acknowledgement of that history.
The growing philosophy here is resolutely organic — no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers. What grows here is fed by the island's famously soft rainfall and the long summer days that make the Gulf Islands one of the warmest and sunniest corners of coastal BC.
Over more than twenty years, Ben and Jacqueline have built something that feels rooted in both the landscape and the community. The farm is the first stop on the Artisan Trail Tour, as well as on the Salt Spring Island Studio Tour — fitting for a property that has shaped how visitors and islanders alike think about artisan agriculture on Salt Spring.
The farm is also home to an equine facilitated personal development programme — horses are part of the Sacred Mountain story too, and their presence adds another layer to what is already a quietly remarkable property.
Worth knowing: Sacred Mountain is currently the only lavender farm on Salt Spring Island, and has been growing organically since its founding in 2001. Everything in the farm shop — the oils, the soaps, the culinary lavender, the body care products — is made on-site from lavender grown on these fields.
THE LAVENDER FIELDS: WHAT TO EXPECT
The fields bloom from late June through to early September, with peak bloom typically occurring in July and the first half of August. This is when the farm is at its most spectacular — row upon row of purple, mauve, and deep violet, humming with bees, fragrant enough to make you feel slightly dreamy. The Gulf Islands sit in one of the sunniest, driest microclimates on the BC coast — conditions that lavender loves deeply, and that give Sacred Mountain's fields their exceptional fragrance and density.
The Variety Collection
With over 60 varieties on the property, Sacred Mountain is a remarkable resource for lavender enthusiasts. You'll find everything from classic English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), with its sweet, familiar fragrance, to the more camphorous Lavandula latifolia, the architectural Lavandin hybrids, and several unusual or heritage varieties not commonly seen in cultivation.
Signage throughout the farm identifies the varieties, making a walk through the fields both sensory and educational. For anyone interested in medicinal herbs, aromatherapy, or simply plant diversity, it's a genuinely interesting tour.
The Self-Guided Farm Walk
Visitors are welcome to explore the farm at their own pace. The self-guided walk takes you through the demonstration and harvest areas, where you can see different varieties in close proximity and understand how the farm is organised by type, harvest time, and intended use.
The views from the upper fields are extraordinary — on a clear day, you can see across the southern Gulf Islands toward the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. This alone makes the trip worthwhile.
Essential Oil Distillation
THE FARM SHOP: WHAT YOU'LL FIND
Everything sold in the Sacred Mountain farm shop is made on-site from the Suttons' own organically grown lavender. It is a considered, genuinely high-quality selection — the kind of shop where everything has a story attached to it.
- Pure lavender essential oils in various grades and varieties, distilled at the farm
- Lavender spa products: soaps, body lotion, shea butter cream, bath salts, and massage oils
- Linen sprays and body spritzes made with farm-distilled oil
- Lavender shampoo and liquid soap
- Culinary lavender for cooking and baking
- Dried lavender bundles, sachets, eye pillows, and neck pillows
- Lavender chocolate, honey, and tea
- Lavender plants to take home and grow yourself
- Lavender stress release roll-on
- Lavender teas and infusions
- Seasonal treats including the famous lavender fruitsicle
The culinary selection deserves a special mention. Lavender chocolate and lavender honey are popular finds — the flavour profile is floral and subtle, never overwhelming, and genuinely delicious in the way that well-made things always are. These travel well and make exceptional gifts.
The lavender fruitsicle is made on the farm and available during the summer season, it's a cold, fragrant, intensely refreshing treat on a warm afternoon — one of those simple pleasures that ends up being a highlight of the day.
And finally -- the lavender plants are also worth considering if you have garden space at home. The Suttons grow many varieties that are not widely available in nurseries, and purchasing one is a way of taking a small piece of Sacred Mountain home with you that will keep growing.
WHEN TO VISIT SACRED MOUNTAIN LAVENDER
The lavender fields bloom from June through to early September, with peak bloom typically in July and the first half of August. If your visit falls during this window, Sacred Mountain is a non-negotiable stop — one of those experiences people talk about for years afterwards.
The farm shop is open from April through to October, with varying hours across the season. In peak season (July and August), the farm is open Wednesday to Monday, 10am to 5pm. In spring and fall, hours reduce to Wednesday to Sunday. Check the Sacred Mountain website or the Salt Spring Hop On listing for current-season hours before your visit.
The Salt Spring Hop On Hop Off Artisan Trail bus visits Sacred Mountain during the bloom season. If you are visiting in early June or late August, check with Salt Spring Hop On to confirm the farm stop is active on your chosen date.
Peak bloom tip: Lavender on Salt Spring typically reaches its most spectacular mid-July. If you can time your visit to this window, you will see the fields at their absolute best — the colour, the bees, the fragrance, all of it at full intensity.
GETTING TO SACRED MOUNTAIN LAVENDER WITHOUT A CAR
Sacred Mountain Lavender is located at 401 Musgrave Road, on the foothills of Mount Tuam near Fulford Harbour — about 5 minutes from the ferry terminal by car, but on a winding road that is not accessible by public transit and challenging to reach by bicycle.
The Salt Spring Hop On Hop Off Artisan Trail bus is the most practical way to visit without a car. The bus stops here during the bloom season, on its 28km loop of southern Salt Spring Island's artisan producers.
The bus departs from the Salt Spring Visitor Information Centre in Ganges at 10am, 11am, and 12pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from late April through late September.
Visit Sacred Mountain Lavender on the Salt Spring Hop On Hop Off Artisan Trail — book at saltspringhopon.com. Departures at 10am, 11am and 12pm, Fridays to Sundays, April 25 to September 27, 2026. Just $55 per adult, $35 per child.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who runs Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm?
Sacred Mountain Lavender is run by Ben and Jacqueline Sutton, who founded the farm in 2001 and have been growing organically on the foothills of Mount Tuam for over two decades. They welcome visitors to explore the farm, experience the demonstration beds and distillation area, and browse the farm shop.
When is Sacred Mountain Lavender in bloom?
The lavender fields typically bloom from late June through early September, with peak bloom in July and early August. The Salt Spring Hop On bus visits the farm during peak bloom — check with the tour operator if visiting outside July and August.
Is Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm worth visiting?
Absolutely. With over 60 lavender varieties, mountain views, on-site distillation, and a beautiful farm shop, it's one of the most unique and memorable stops on the entire Artisan Trail. When the fields are in full bloom, it's visually stunning.
Can I pick lavender at the farm?
Harvesting from the fields is not self-pick; the farm manages its own harvest. However, cut bundles are available in the farm shop during the season.
How long should I spend at Sacred Mountain Lavender?
Allow at least 45 to 60 minutes to walk the fields, explore the distillery area, and browse the farm shop. If you're a serious lavender enthusiast or want to take your time with the views, hop off the bus and catch the next one an hour later.
