Annemarie Manders reflects on 35 years as a lavender farmer in the Yarra Valley

Annemarie Manders has hitchhiked across Europe, nursed patients for hours on end, raised two sons and grieved for her late husband, but one of her greatest challenges has involved a small purple flower.

“I stumbled into growing lavender,” she said.

“All I knew was it was a purple flower with a…