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The inspiration behind the Farm began in 1985 when
Sylvia and Bill Varney visited the Hill Country. They lived in Houston
where Sylvia was a senior financial analyst for an oil and gas company
and Bill a buyer for a large nursery. They were so enchanted with
Fredericksburg's small-town charm that they turned in the Freeway
life and opened an apothecary on Main Street. In love with plants
since childhood, Bill Varney says, "We were very interested
in how multifaceted herbs were — cooking, gardening,m beauty,
medicinal and historical." Their aromatic toiletries and potted
herbs soon aroused more than the senses. In 1991, with business
booming, they purchased a 4-acre abandoned farm a few blocks away.
They
renovated the farm's 1882 limestone house (now registered with the
Texas Historical Commission) as a shop that carries everything from
rose geranium hand lotion to massage oils and potpourri, along with
Sylvia's tasty spice blends and gourmet foods. Another shop houses
a large book selection including their books Along the Garden Path
and Herbs" Growing and Using the Plants for Romance. Just t
enter the shop is aromatherapy, as herbal candles from votives to
pillars send out their fragrant messages. There are candles to soothe,
stimulate or revive. On request, Sylvia will make a custom announcement
candle to celebrate a birth, wedding or other special occasion.
The Varneys, supervised by their eleven-year old son, Roy, make
their products on-site, cultivating from the Farm's current 14 acres
of demonstration and working gardens.
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Upon
arrival a the Farm, the first garden to see is the Star Garden.
In its center stands an antique windmill that sets off the five
herb beds that form a star. Each bed features herbs for a specific
purpose — medicinal, cosmetic, culinary, crafting or ornamental.
It is a fragrant "touch me" garden, but it also shows
how to arrange herbs in tandem with antique roses and perennial
and annual flowers. The Cross Garden and Icthus Garden represent
faith and harmony through plant selection and design. In the Secret
Garden, visitors can laze along the path of a stream to watch
the resident ducks or contemplate the restful scenery from a comfortable
bench.
Inspired
by herbs large and small, tangy or sweet, inevitably the next
stop is the nursery area where herbs of every description await
new homes alongside seasonal flowers. As the gardens illustrate,
herbs apply to every landscape situation, from ground covers to
borders to backdrops. With so many that grow well in Central Texas,
the Varneys believe that five are essential for every garden:
parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives and oregano. They say, "We
feel these are a must. We believe that everyone should have a
few fresh herbs growing! It makes all the difference in the world
in cooking, natural fragrance in your home and such a natural
addition to your yard or patio." If grown in a container
on a sunny patio or near the kitchen, it is only a snip away to
add their inimitable flavor to a recipe.
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Herbs
are easy to grow if given well-drained soil. Most prefer a sunny
location, but many will grow in shade, including oregano and parsley,
salad burnet — an evergreen that imparts a fresh cucumber flavor
to salads — lemon balm, lemon thyme, mint, violets and sweet
woodruff.
The Varneys books and web site give cultivation tips and tricks
along with craft ideas and recipes for the kitchen, bath and spa.
For a relaxing bath, they recommend yarrow flower heads, marigolds,
chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, Linden flowers and lemon verbena.
At
the Farm, visitors can discover the rejuvenating power of herbs
with a visit to the day spa, the Quite Haus. Here, in its harmonious
setting, herbs form the base for massages, facials, scrubs, and
foot and hand treatments for both men and women. Reservations are
by appointment only.
To
enjoy a longer visit plan a night or two at The Herb Haus, the two-bedroom
bed & breakfast cottage, decorated with Sylvia's herbal creations.
A continental breakfast, evening snack and wine are included.
Lunch
is served daily at The Restaurant where diners tuck into Sylvia's
fresh natural foods richly flavored with the Farm's herbs. Dinner
on Friday and Saturday nights is by reservation only.
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