All Things Lavender

Garden season and Women’s History Month at Los Poblanos

Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms, Rose Greely and Penny Rembe are among the inspiring women whose creativity and vision have shaped the beauty of Los Poblanos for nearly a century. From architecture and garden design to present-day farming, their innovation and stewardship continue to guide how the land awakens each spring.

Farm Journal: Garden season begins in the Rio Grande Valley

Welcoming spring in the Rio Grande Valley

Spring is always unpredictable in New Mexico, and this year we’ve seen record breaking warm temperatures early in the season. Buds and bees have been waking up almost three weeks earlier than usual. A late freeze or March snowstorm is always possible, but our farm and landscape teams are preparing for a warm, dry growing season ahead.

As farm and gardens awaken, our farmers and gardeners work alongside nature, tending soil, sowing seeds and shaping the landscape to ensure the health and beauty of Los Poblanos in the months ahead.

Sewing change: Southwest Creations Collaborative

We believe that every aspect of what we make should reflect care and craftsmanship. Working with local partners who share our passion for our community, landscape and the makers behind each piece, is one of our favorite things. We are honored to highlight our longtime partners at Southwest Creations Collaborative (SCC) during our Meet the Makers event on November 13. For more than two decades, this women-led social enterprise has brought care and craftsmanship to various Los Poblanos projects, and most recently, our lavender eye pillows and tissue covers. To celebrate their remarkable work empowering women and strengthening families in Albuquerque’s South Valley, 10% of all sales from the evening will be donated to support Southwest Creations Collaborative and their mission to sew lasting change.

Report from the lavender fields

If you have visited the farm recently, you may have noticed that our lavender fields look a little different this year. While they may not be as full as in years past, there is a deeper story behind what you are seeing—one of natural cycles, climate challenges and the realities of regenerative farming in a complex environment. 

Supporting the pollinators we love

In the warmth of late spring, the gentle hum of bees rises from our fields and historic gardens. This sound signals more than summer's return—it reflects the vitality of a landscape carefully nurtured through regenerative farming and a deep respect for nature. Our approach to land stewardship depends on a thriving community of pollinators.

A sweet partnership between people and pollinators

We are thrilled to introduce our new honey collection, made possible through our partnership with Bear Canyon Honey. Bear Canyon embodies the interconnection of the hive by uniting beekeepers from Taos to Las Cruces and in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. Their work has helped build a strong network of local honey suppliers, support healthy ecosystems and celebrate a growing community of backyard beekeepers.  

Farm Journal: Report from the lavender fields

The annual lavender harvest occurs during a brief window in July, dipping into late June and early August, depending on the year. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation, with groups from all departments coming together to pitch in, enjoy each other’s company and soak up the lavender-scented early morning and evening hours overlooking the Sandia mountains. Our kitchen team has been holding their daily meetings in the fields while harvesting the culinary lavender. Groups from Makers & Merchants, Spa, Community & Cultural Events and more have been a huge help in expediting this year’s harvest.

90 Years of Los Poblanos: The Lord & Burnham Greenhouse

Ninety years ago, Los Poblanos was a model experimental farm and the original headquarters of the 800-acre ranch owned by congress members Albert Simms and Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms. Home to the original Creamland Dairies, it boasted one of the finest purebred herds of Guernsey and Holstein cows in the Southwest. Sugar beets, alfalfa, oats, corn and barley were all grown on the property and purebred rams were raised with the intention of helping sheep herders of the state improve their flocks. In 1934, a Lord & Burnham greenhouse was constructed and utilized by Ruth, an active garden club member who experimented with growing new varieties of roses and chrysanthemums to sell commercially. 

Kick-start your holiday shopping

With crisp mornings and shorter days, winter is around the corner. Start your Los Poblanos holiday shopping today to stay ahead of unexpected shipping delays or last-minute stress. Trust us, shopping early is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. We are offering a 10% discount on all gift sets this weekend only. Each set is a thoughtful collection of our favorite products in beautiful reusable gift boxes for an elegant solution to simplify gifting. The discount will be automatically applied when eligible gift sets are added to your cart. Valid online and in our retail locations.

We’re raising a glass to the new Los Poblanos Botanical Spirits

We are thrilled to share two new gins developed by our team of farmers, gardeners, herbalists, distillers and mixologists expressing the flavors of Los Poblanos’ historic farm and gardens, and the essence of the Rio Grande Valley. Our western-dry style gin was born by studying and sampling the wide variety of flowers, herbs and native plants that thrive on our small organic farm. This unique blend of 16 botanicals includes piñon resin, rose, violet, hawthorn and chamomile.