The central anchor shape in the garden allows people to meander around it, and the white lavender makes it stand out — the anchor being symbolic to Rhode Island as a representation of hope.”

Blaise Rein

Mount Hope Farm
250 Metacom Avenue
Bristol, RII 02809
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There is such a thing as white lavender — and it’s exceptional, both literally and figuratively. Lavender is well known as a flower that provides a calming scent, often used in tea, coffee, and essential oils. Recently in Bristol, another use was unveiled with a white bloom of “exceptional” lavender in the shape of an anchor being displayed at Mount Hope Farm — a symbol of hope for the community and a sign of what’s to come.  

But it doesn’t stop there. Lavender also comes in many shades of purple and blue. With the help of Water Way Lavender Farm in Barrington, many of these shades are being (and will be) added to the new lavender “parterre” at Mount Hope Farm.  

The term parterre originates from France, according to Blaise Rein, the landscape designer and project manager of Water Way Lavender Farm — a family-owned business. “It comes from the idea that French gardens are well-manicured and often designed in specific shapes — essentially a formalized garden,” he said. Rein, who designed the lavender garden at Mount Hope, created a lavender parterre out of white (or exceptional) lavender. “The central anchor shape in the garden allows people to meander around it, and the white lavender makes it stand out — the anchor being symbolic to Rhode Island as a representation of hope,” he explained.  

The partnership between Mount Hope Farm and Water Way Lavender Farm is inspired by just that — hope. For Rein, the hope is that the partnership will evolve over time and allow his family to share their knowledge of lavender by teaching classes at Mount Hope Farm. His mother, Candace Clavin, who is also the founder of the lavender farm in Barrington, will be traveling this summer to gain even more knowledge about lavender in what Rein called “the capital of lavender” — France.  

He also shared that using their knowledge to offer classes on household uses of lavender would be a great opportunity at Mount Hope Farm to get the community engaged in the beauty of using lavender in the home. He listed several uses: incorporating it into heating pads for aromatherapy, drying it and placing it into sachets for closets and drawers, making soaps, using it as a culinary herb, or using it to make lavender lemonade — something he noted Seven Stars Bakery offers every summer.  

The partnership between the two farms holds endless possibilities. Brenda Turchetta, executive director at Mount Hope Farm, is excited about the future of lavender on the property. “We hope to introduce products made from lavender, offer classes, and maybe even create a ‘pick your own’ lavender event to offer something special to the community,” she said. This means picking white lavender could become a reality for Rhode Islanders.  

John Feinstein (left), Tara Bradley, Blaise Rein, Brenda Turchetta, Sofia Teixeira, Susan Bosley and Candice Clavin take a break from planting to pose for a photo.

The partnerships keep growing 
“Who knew there was such a thing as white lavender?” asked Susan Bosley, vice president of business development at Bay Coast Bank. Bosley, who has partnered with Mount Hope Farm as part of the bank’s efforts to become more engaged in the community, was an integral part of the most recent lavender planting event at Mount Hope Farm on May 19.  

Bosley, who began a business relationship with Mount Hope Farm, let Turchetta know she was interested in more than just that. “Susan loves community and being involved; she didn’t want to just donate money. She told us, ‘If you need people to help with anything, call us,’ and so with this lavender project, we did. And we are glad we did,” said Turchetta.  

According to Turchetta, the first planting day saw about 50 plants go into the ground, but on the second and most recent event, there were over 300 plants to be planted. Bosley showed up with a large group of people from the bank, and the planting was completed in approximately three hours.  

Some of these plants came directly from Water Way Lavender Farm, but the larger ones came from New York. The hope is to have lavender blooming for the enjoyment of the community sooner rather than later — and according to Rein, some of the plants are already in bloom. 

Candace and her husband Chris Rein (Rein’s parents) moved from to the rural farming region of the Finger Lakes in New York, where they raised sheep and organic herbs and vegetables for over a decade to Barrington in 1995, shortly after Rein was born. They started their small family farm with a focus on lavender after discovering, as beekeepers, how much their bees loved it — inspiring them to grow it on a larger scale.

Turchetta, who learned about lavender from Water Way, spoke about why lavender was chosen for Mount Hope Farm. “Having lavender planted is important because it is a pollinator for bees, and in addition, the deer don’t eat it. We’re surrounded by deer, but the lavender isn’t destroyed by them. And, of course, there’s the added beauty of lavender,” she said. This is the hope of all parties involved — to spark the imagery of lavender blooming across the coast of the East Bay and inspire people to use it in their homes.