ESCALON — You don’t have to cross the pond by plane and travel miles to France to “experience the allure of lavender.”

From Manteca, you need only drive about 20 miles east on East Highway 120 or River Road from Ripon to get to the expansive garden of 44 varieties of lavender in rural Escalon called “Lavender Hollow Farm.” By the time you reach McBride Avenue where you continue the short drive along a meandering narrow two-lane country road, you can practically smell the entrancing fragrance of lavenders wafting in the breeze. A nondescript sign along the road directs you to enter into a narrow unpaved driveway and into a breathtaking view of lavender fields below. There’s a reason why the word Hollow is part of the name given to this oversized version of the fictional Secret Garden. From a vantage point just inside the entrance, you have an almost bird’s-eye view of the hollowed fields of lavender blossoms, with a glimpse of a picturesque garden in front of a French chateau-like two-story manor with three prominent dormers, and a rustic barn that is actually home to the farm’s boutique.

The only bad news, if you can call it that, lies in the fact this bit of France’s allure is not open year-round. Owners Bill and Alice Taylor, who labored for years creating this magical garden in the shadow of the Sierra foothills, open the gates of their lavender farm for only a few weeks in the spring when the lavenders are in their peak blooming season. And that’s not every day. This year, Lavender Hollow Farm opened to the public on May 27. The last three days to visit the farm this season are today, Saturday, and Sunday. You can enjoy the sun-kissed lavenders and meander through the rows of sweet-smelling lavender blossoms. You can also shop at the Farm’s boutique filled with everything lavender – from bunches of dried fresh lavenders and potted lavenders to bring home and plant in your home garden, to a host of handcrafted lavender products and gifts and palate-pleasing treats such as lavender butter cookies.

You can also enjoy lunch surrounded by the fragrant fields of lavenders by ordering a lavender-themed box lunch or a lavender catered lunch. These are offered in cooperation with Leonardo’s Café of Escalon. The box lunch is also available on Fridays. But to take advantage of this scrumptious meal, you have to pre-order and pre-pay at least 24 hours in advance by contacting Leonardo’s Café at (209) 838-8995 and your meal will be waiting for you at the farm. Cost is $12.50 each. No reservation is necessary for the Sunday lunch special unless you have a party of 10 or more. And the food will be available until supplies last.

Business hours at Lavender Hollow Farm are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Sunday. Admission is free.

Online, the lavender farm’s electronic gates are open 24/7 the rest of the year. Log on to www.lavenderhollowfarm.com for more information including various classes offered on everything lavender.

DIRECTIONS: To get to Lavender Hollow Farm in Escalon from Manteca, take Highway 120 (Yosemite Avenue in Manteca becomes E. Highway 120) through Escalon, turn right on Sutliff Road, left on East River Road, then take the first right onto McBride Road. Lavender Hollow Farm is on the left side – 22244 McBride Road.