Visitors to a lavender farm in southern Johnson County will soon have the experience of being surrounded by woods or sitting in a field of flowers or relaxing under a night sky, accompanied by the sounds of bees buzzing, birds singing and wind whistling.
All while sitting inside an immersive planetarium-like structure.
Purple Meadows Lavender Farm, 26562 W. 207th St., in Spring Hill, celebrated the start of construction on its Violet Vault, a 360-degree dome featuring an immersive and interactive audio-visual experience, during a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.
The groundbreaking was more ceremonial, with work on the dome already well underway.
“We’ve had the lavender farm for five years now, and the big hurdle has been it’s wonderful in June, when we’ve got lots of traffic,” said owner Carmela Randazzo-Stevenson. “But, it’s just June and then things are kind of quiet.”
The Violet Vault, Randazzo-Stevenson said, is inspired by planetariums, which project images on their domed ceiling, as music and audio play. The idea to add the feature to Purple Meadows’ property came out of brainstorming with her family and farm staff.
They knew they wanted an attraction, in addition to their store, to bring in business year-round. The roughly 33-foot-tall dome will seat about 40 people and will be available for private events.
Aiming to open in May
Randazzo-Stevenson expects to open the attraction in early to mid-May, ahead of June’s prime lavender season.
Since Randazzo-Stevenson opened her business, the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the business, helping Purple Meadows win grant funding for a gazebo and also hosting Thursday’s groundbreaking.
“This is probably the most rewarding thing, is to see people plug in and utilize resources that we can connect them with,” said Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sharon Mitchell. “To watch them grow and expand, it’s a celebratory, happy moment for me.”
Randazzo-Stevenson started with Talk Ta Me, 26560 W. 207th St., a floral and gift shop, which opened in 2016. She then opened the lavender farm next door in 2021.
“Everybody loves being out here,” Randazzo-Stevenson said. “They enjoy just being away from the city and just having some place that they can come and be peaceful and relax.”
What’s in store for the Vault
The dome will also feature a bar, with lavender-inspired drinks to match the floral aroma and decor. Randazzo-Stevenson said she also plans to do different themes and events throughout the year, listing geometric patterns and the night sky as potential options.
A bathroom will be built outside the dome for guests. Reservations will be required online.
Talk Ta Me remains open year-round, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and Saturday by appointment only.
While Randazzo-Stevenson enjoys working the lavender farm, her favorite part is the people.
“We had one couple, and that young man had not seen the stars before,” she said. “He about made me cry. He was just flat on his back, looking at the stars and taking it in.”
