Iowa while Peter graduated from Purdue with a degree in Landscape Architecture . Cyndie started her career as a buyer at Garfinkle ’ s , and also Hecht ’ s , both well-known department stores that have since closed . In 1994 , after their son was born and longing for a change , the Rineks found land in Philomont .
Peter designed and built their house and added more on the grounds as the years went by . Cyndie left retail opting to expand her love of growing lavender and began collecting , growing and building an inventory of varieties . Eventually , finding she had more lavender buds and stems than she could use herself , she began selling lavender bundles at local craft and garden fairs and to area garden clubs . The more Cyndie brought in lavender varieties to grow and sell , the more
Peter found himself designing beautiful ornamental gardens and beds to fit all of the plants into the landscape .
When their son graduated from high school in 2010 , Cyndie and Peter made the dream of building a shop at Blooming Hill a reality and opened their property to visitors . The shop enables them to sell their homegrown , handmade and garden-gathered lavender products , including : lavender tea blends ; culinary lavender products and accessories ; lavender-inspired linens ; gift baskets and home and garden giftables ; lavender coffee ; lavender-infused soap and candles ; and giclee prints of western Loudoun towns from original oil paintings by Peter .
Eight years ago Cyndie started making lavender ice cream and you will find it in the shop as well . There ’ s lavender with honey and lemon , lavender blueberry , lavender rose , lavender chocolate , lavender dark chocolate chunk , and lavender coconut . This year they plan to add lavender ice cream made with matcha tea .
If you come thirsty , you can try one of Cyndie ’ s special blends of loose leaf lavender-infused teas and tisanes . She works with Loudounbased Green Alchemy Herb Mercantile Tea Company in Lovettsville and has learned a lot from them about the business of tea .
The Blooming Hill Farmlet
The farmlet ’ s business has changed over the years . While growing and selling lavender is their first and foremost goal , Blooming Hill also
8 wander I spring • summer 2023