There’s rustic sweetness about this area of northern California, with fields of pinot grapes, haphazard large, old trees, and small authentic, unspoiled towns dotting the small road going from Hwy 101 in Santa Rosa, along River Road through to Jenner. This is the site of the wedding we are attending this weekend.
We found a small hotel called the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville, which has turned out to be a beautiful and relaxing spot. They have very cozy rooms (try room 24 with a beautiful private deck overlooking some of these old meandering trees I mentioned) and a great spa! My favorite thing about Farmhouse Inn is when you check in. They have homemade soaps that you choose and cut from a long bar. In addition, you can choose samples of milk bath, body scrub and lavender bath salts to take to your room and use during your stay.
They’ve created a garden throughout the property which is going to be lovely when it matures. It integrates all of my favorite elements – fruit trees, vegetables and flowers. You can see espaliered apples and pears, along side beautiful roses, ferns, rosemary, sage, plumbago and lavender. The vegetable boxes are a little light this time of year, but I saw a chef from their restaurant hand clipping seasonal mustard greens from one of the boxes for the evening’s dinner.
I look forward to seeing this garden in another five years. It should be lush and even more enchanting than it is today.
