A little piece of Tuscany

While attending this year's Circle Craft market with my daughter, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a favourite place to visit during the summer months - Tuscan Farm Gardens in Langley - had a display booth. And what a display booth it was! I wanted to sit down and run a bath right then and there...so very seductive are all the wonderful products that bear the Tuscan Farm Gardens label.

After a good 15 minutes of inhaling the heady aromas of lavender, lemon grass and peppermint, we made off with our bounty, our senses tickling, to explore the rest of the show.

Although many companies make natural bath and body products, I've always found the quality (and quantity) of Tuscan Farm Gardens' products to have the edge...the lavender and lemongrass body polishes, for example, have just the "right" amount of Pacific sea salt, Jojoba oil and sweet almond oil to buff the skin perfectly, without leaving it feeling abraded, like many scrubs. I swear there is something in that lemon grass that's addictive! My only wish? That Tuscan Farms will one day come out with a mocha or coffee scrub that will have this brand's same attention to balance between oil and abrasive elements!

Tuscan Farm Gardens, the brainchild of Heather and Arleigh Fair, is nestled in the heart of the Fraser Valley at 22317 64 Avenue in Langley. In addition to their wonderful bath and body products, they create amazing teas and honey from wildcrafted herbs native to the Pacific Northwest. Try their Gardener's Hand Cream, Echinacea Estate Tea and Lavender Honey, either for youself or as a gift. They are all wonderful.

We first discovered this oasis of tranquility four years ago while driving through Langley with my sister, who was visiting from the UK. Fields of lavender and cone flower stretch as far as the eye can see, roses tumble effortlessly over hedges and arches and tall trees provide whispering shade on a hot summer day. There's even a natural beaver pond. The well-kept gardens provide a thrill for all the senses and, for long moments, the soul finds the sort of peace so rare these crazy days. We have been back every year since. Tuscan Farm Gardens also runs a bed and breakfast that is another "to do" on my long list.

You can find details on Tuscan Farm Gardens (and Heather's lovely blog) on their website.