Lavender Lovers: A Day at Warwick Furnace Farm

August 05, 2026

By the time midsummer arrives in Philly, everyone is plotting ways to escape the humid heat, the radiating asphalt, and the chaos of hot-weather crowds. This year, Lady Pine took to the road for some respite from the gnawing city summer. Where to? A special place where she often goes for inspiration, calm, and Walter Pine's specialty lavender products—Warwick Furnace Farm. This family-owned and operated lavender farm is situated just one hour outside of the city, but feels like something out of a dream. Imagine: the soft, purple glow of lavender crops; rolling hills fluttering with the wings of pollinators; perfectly-restored stone buildings dating back to the 18th century; and the stewardship of a family with four daughters who live onsite and handcraft all of their products.

The Rosen family began this journey in 2017 when they moved to this 63-acre property nestled in Chester County's French Creek Valley. This property sits adjacent to the historic Warwick Furnace, one of the oldest iron furnaces in America, built in 1737 by Anna Nutt—often considered one of the first female industrialists in the United States. The furnace produced the first Franklin stove, furnished armaments for George Washington's army, and manufactured components for the first metal-clad ship during the Civil War. Today, Warwick Furnace Farm produces Certified Naturally Grown lavender, which is harvested and distilled on-site into essential oils, healing elixirs, soothing salves, calming botanical bath soaps, and home goods such as lavender sachets and eye pillows. These luxurious, small-batch products are a staple of Walter Pine's apothecary selection.

Lavender fields, a secret garden, and a picnic that refused to end. One hour from the city, a world away.

So the scene is painted for a most perfect mid-summer escape. Upon arrival, Lady Pine met up with internationally-recognized artist and longtime Pine Pal Claire Rosen, who is at the helm of Warwick's creative operations. Together, they strolled through the farm's lavender fields, where over fifteen varieties of lavender are carefully tended to each season. Next, they visited the Dairy Barn—a large agricultural structure, officially designated a Class 1 Historic Structure—that was restored, preserved, and saved from the threat of demolition. The barn is now home to their art gallery, farm store, pilates studio, and Claire's art studio. As the day began to shift, they found a perfect spot for a sunset picnic. Where? The secret garden. Yes, that's right, Warwick is fairytale-esque through and through—like an escape to Provence in the South of France.

Tucked behind the main residence is a formal garden, whose symmetric paths offer a tour of flowers in full bloom: towering lupines, delicate Queen Anne's Lace, and vivid phlox. At the center, a gentle fountain flows where the farm's special fish friends swim, calm and unaware of their place in this unique lavender universe. Lady Pine laid out the picnic with Walter Pine's versatile table settings and all of her favorite, portable pantry goods: infused herbal sea salt; bright guindilla peppers; specialty petit sardines; artisan scotch bonnet & ginger hot sauce, the perfect mini jar of extra virgin olive oil. Perfect picnic accoutrements in the garden, as they watched the flowers' glowing colors begin to vibrate as the sun set.

The secret garden. This is real, and it's one hour from Philadelphia.

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