Day Trips

Garden paradise in the Hill Country (Photo By Gerald E. McLeod)

The Fredericksburg Herb Farm blends the fragrances of spices with the peacefulness of nature to bring a unique experience to the Hill Country. The farm seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist shops a few blocks away on Main Street in Fredericksburg.

Bill and Sylvia Varney transformed an 1800s homestead into a garden paradise. The amazing thing is that the 14-acre compound of flower beds and rustic buildings appeals to visitors on so many levels. This is a fun place to visit to treat your senses to a special journey. The scenic settlement-within-a-town includes two stores, a gourmet cafe, an aroma-therapeutic day spa, five gardens, and even a bed & breakfast house.

The centerpiece of the Herb Farm's operation is two-story limestone building that was home to generations of the Lehne family until the Varneys arrived from Houston in 1985. The century-old building houses the apothecary shop, which offers locally made lotions, potions, condiments, wines, and more.

Added to the back of the old house are two dining rooms that make up the Tea Room; one is a former greenhouse. There also are covered tables outside, under the towering oak trees and surrounded by the gardens. The lunch menu features salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts, all spiced with farm-fresh ingredients. Dinner is served on Friday and Saturday evenings, 6:30-9pm.

The friendly, but busy, waitress said she serves guests from all over the world. In one day she had visitors from London and India. The food is as appetizing as it is filling. Don't be surprised if your food comes with a decorative flower that is also edible.

The second shop, called the Poet's Haus, offers more unique items for sale. Here the focus is on gardening, with an array of books, seeds, and tools. As if for inspiration, the farm's handmade candles are also made here. The shopping experience is not unlike a cross between visiting an art gallery and an old-fashioned dry goods store. The cat sleeping in a basket under a heavy wooden table looks too perfect to be real until it stretches a paw and sleepily half-opens one eye.

It's hard not to feel relaxed at the Fredericksburg Herb Farm. For those looking for some extra help in relieving the stress of modern life, the Quiet Haus offers a therapeutic day spa. By appointment, qualified massage therapists rub a new lease into tired and sore muscles with fragrant, natural oils.

And if the tired feet just need a place to sit and meditate for a few moments, the Varneys' gardens are the perfect atmosphere. Although it is the herb oils and extracts that put the food on the family's table, it is the gardens that add the spice to their lives. The business is a combination of Bill's skill as a horticulturist and Sylvia's love of natural toiletries for men and women.

The couple moved to Fredericksburg because of a job offer for Bill at a local nursery. At the same time, Sylvia opened a small shop on Main Street called Varney's Chemist Laden (German for shop). Bill planted a small herb garden in the building's courtyard, and the two professions were soon combined when they struck pay dirt by winning first place at the International Fancy Food Show in New York with their herbal vinegar.

Many of the farm's 600 products are featured by exclusive retailers around the world, including Nieman-Marcus and Macy's Department Store, and have been featured in national publications. The gardens are still the heart and soul of the operation, and the Varneys' gift to anyone who wants to make the trip to their little corner of heaven.

From the little courtyard plot, Bill Varney built the Star Garden at the farm. Centered around an antique windmill, the five points measure 180 feet across. Each point of the star expresses the different uses of herbs: aesthetic, medicinal, cosmetic, culinary, and ornamental. The points are punctuated by rose bushes that add a dramatic touch.

On the opposite side of the Poet's Haus, the Secret Garden is more of a meditative space, with paths leading in many directions and benches strategically placed. The Classic Cross Herb Garden and the Ichthus Garden (in the shape of the fish-shaped Greek symbol of Christianity) are in front of the apothecary shop. Each is a scratch-and-sniff environment that fills the air with spicy aroma most of the year.

Spring, when the plants are at their richest, is a perfect time to visit the Herb Farm. Each year on the third weekend of April (April 15-16, 2000) the Varneys host the Spring Herb Fest, with vendors from around the state showing their herbal treasures along with food demonstrations, educational seminars, and continuous entertainment at the farm.

For those lucky enough to get to spend more than an afternoon touring the Herb Farm, there is the Herb Haus Bed and Breakfast. The two-bedroom cottage offers more than just a restful night's sleep. Guests also get to try toiletries from the farm's shop and then wake up to a homemade continental breakfast with herbs and flowers from the gardens, of course.

The Fredericksburg Herb Farm is at 402 Whitney St. off of Milam Street (FM 965) south of Main Street. The name of the shop in downtown at 417 Main St. has been changed to The Farm On Main. Both are open Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm and Sunday noon-4pm. For information, call 830/997-8615 or 800/259-HERB, or check out their Web site at http://www.fredericksburgherbfarm.com.

Coming up this weekend...

Tejano Music Awards & Festival in San Antonio at Market Square, La Villita, and the Alamodome presents the best in Tex-Mex music, Mar10-11. 800/500-8470 or http://www.tejanomusicawards.com.

Market Days in Boerne offers a variety of goods at the Main Plaza, Mar11-12. 830/816-1796.

Coming up...

State Garden Show in Waco's H.O.T. Fair Complex features exhibits, demonstrations, and seminars sponsored by Texas Gardener, Mar17-19. 254/722-1270.

Dogwood Festival in Palestine celebrates the arrival of spring and the famous dogwood tree blossoms, weekends Mar17-Apr 2. 800/659-3484.