“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
- Winnie the Pooh
Dear Friends,
On September 20th 2023, our beloved lavendoodle, Flora crossed the rainbow bridge. As so many of you know, Flora was much more than a family pet, she was the four-legged personification of all that makes Lavender Pond Farm such a special place. From the day we opened in 2014, to our last bloom of 2023, Flora was a constant, calming, sweet presence to our staff and the tens of thousands that visited our farm.
As we look back on the last nine years, Flora’s pawprints permeate every nook of Lavender Pond Farm. From our initial product development where we committed to no animal testing (Flora would never allow it!), to her own dog shampoo and product line, to Flora’s Fairy Wings and Garden Adventure, she was Lavender Pond Farm.
More so, if the farm was open, Flora was working. But to Flora, it was never work. She truly took joy in meeting new friends of both the four and two-legged variety. “Can Flora come out?” was a regular call over our staff radios as visitors would hope for the chance to meet our sweet, beautiful girl.
More than just a mascot, Flora was also a beloved member of our back-office team. She would spend countless hours supervising the making of candles, sewing of pillows, and packing and shipping online orders. But her most special time was accompanying the Lady of the Lavender on their regular walks of the fields to check on our plants. She loved the farm and its people, though she was not a big fan of our bees!
Flora was also our family pet and we, along with her brother doodle Thurman, miss her terribly. So many of us have experienced the loss of a pet and we thank you all so much for your heartfelt outpouring of love and support. She was diagnosed with cancer over the summer and it spread quickly. She did not suffer long and we wish to extend our deepest thanks to the team at Killingworth Animal Hospital for their compassion and professionalism.
Thank you all again for your kind words.