Unearth The Voyage
Along a quiet road in western Michigan, rows of lavender stretch across three acres in a pattern so striking it stops people in their tracks. Most visitors discover this place by accident – and almost all of them plan to come back.
At its center is a peaceful labyrinth, designed not to confuse but to slow you down, filling the air with fragrance and color. Beyond the fields, you’ll find fresh cherry strudel, baked goods that sell out fast, and small-batch lavender products you won’t see anywhere else.
Keep reading, because this hidden spot is much more than just a beautiful garden.
Where the Lavender Labyrinth Lives: Address and Setting
Cherry Point Farm and Market sits at 9600 W Buchanan Rd, Shelby, MI 49455, tucked about 1.5 miles south of Silver Lake along the scenic Scenic Drive corridor also known as B15. The drive out to the farm is genuinely lovely, with open skies and farmland rolling on either side of the road, making the journey feel like part of the experience.
The farm holds a 4.6-star rating across hundreds of reviews, and that number reflects something real. People come from across the state specifically for the lavender labyrinth, but they stay for the baked goods, the market, and the warm atmosphere that greets them at the door.
The phone number is +1 231-861-2029, and the website at cherrypointmarket.net is worth checking before your visit for updated hours and seasonal events. First-timers are often surprised by how much is packed into one property.
The Story Behind the Labyrinth Design
Back in 2001, owner Barbara Bull partnered with landscape architect Conrad Heiderer to design something that had never quite existed in Michigan before. The labyrinth they created is not a simple spiral path.
It is a carefully mapped three-acre garden built around sacred geometry, and every element of its structure carries meaning.
The design features one central stone circle representing the year, twelve interlocking circles for the months, fifty-two arbor posts marking the weeks, and seven cross pieces honoring the days of the week. At the center, a herb garden with thirty-six beds arranged in a vesica pattern waits as a kind of reward for walkers who make it all the way through.
That level of intention in a garden is rare, and it changes how you experience the walk. You are not just strolling through lavender.
You are moving through a structure that took real thought and care to build, and that feeling stays with you long after you leave.
What the Lavender Season Actually Looks and Smells Like
Mid-July through early August is when the French lavender reaches full bloom, and the transformation is hard to describe without sounding like you are exaggerating. The purple stretches across three acres in dense rows, and the fragrance hits you before you even reach the garden entrance.
Bees work the flowers steadily, which adds a soft hum to the whole scene.
Even when the lavender has passed its absolute peak, the labyrinth stays vibrant. Other herbs and flowers continue blooming well into summer, keeping the paths colorful and aromatic for visitors who arrive a little outside the prime window.
The garden is well-maintained regardless of timing.
One detail that surprises people is the sheer variety of plants inside. Many visitors come expecting only lavender and discover an entire world of herbs, textures, and scents woven through the design.
The lavender is the star, but the supporting cast is worth your full attention too.
Walking the Path: What the Experience Feels Like
The walk through the labyrinth moves at whatever pace you choose, and that flexibility is part of its appeal. Maps are available inside the store, and picking one up before heading out makes the experience feel more intentional.
The path winds in ways that surprise you, doubling back and curving through sections you did not expect.
There is something genuinely calming about following a marked route through a fragrant garden with no particular goal except to reach the center. People who visit with children report that even young kids stay engaged, drawn in by the sensory details around every turn.
Dogs have been spotted enjoying the walk too, though checking current pet policies before bringing one along is always a good idea.
The central herb garden at the heart of the labyrinth is the moment many visitors say they love most. Thirty-six beds arranged in a circular pattern create a natural pause point, a place to stand quietly and take in everything around you before finding your way back out.
Barbara Bull: The Author Who Grows Lavender
Not many farm market owners also hold eleven published book titles to their name, but Barbara Bull is not a typical farm market owner. Her books are available for purchase inside the Cherry Point market, and every title carries a connection to Michigan and the world she has built around this property.
The range of her work reflects someone who has spent serious time thinking about place, story, and community. Picking up one of her books while munching on a freshly baked cherry strudel feels like exactly the kind of afternoon this farm was designed to offer.
The combination of local literature and local food is a pairing that works surprisingly well.
Her presence shapes the entire atmosphere of the farm in ways that go beyond her books. The thoughtfulness behind the labyrinth design, the quality of the baked goods, and the warmth of the staff all reflect someone who genuinely cares about the experience visitors have.
That personal investment is something you can feel from the moment you arrive.
The Baked Goods That Keep People Coming Back
Cherry strudel is the item that gets mentioned most often, and for good reason. It arrives homemade, and on lucky days it is still warm when you pick it up.
The pastry is flaky, the cherry filling is tart and sweet without being cloying, and the size means one is rarely enough. Many visitors buy two without being told to.
Cherry turnovers and cherry donuts also draw serious attention, and the fresh bread has earned its own loyal following. The muffins lean moist and flavorful, balancing tartness with just enough sweetness to feel like a treat rather than a sugar overload.
Prices are reasonable across most of the baked goods selection.
One practical note: purchases under five dollars may require cash, so carrying a small amount on hand saves a potential awkward moment at the register. The baked goods sell out faster than you might expect on busy summer days, so arriving earlier in the day gives you the best selection to choose from.
The Farm Market and What You Can Take Home
Beyond the garden, the market itself is stocked with things worth browsing slowly. Fresh produce, homemade jams, dried lavender, lavender-infused soaps, locally themed souvenirs, and apparel fill the shelves in a way that feels curated rather than cluttered.
The dried lavender is a favorite repeat purchase for people who visit more than once.
Lavender products show up in several forms throughout the shop, from sachets to soaps to culinary options, all carrying that distinctive scent that made the garden so memorable in the first place. Bringing a piece of the lavender experience home in a tangible form turns out to be a satisfying way to extend the visit.
The souvenir selection leans toward items with genuine local character rather than generic tourist merchandise, which makes gift-buying here feel more personal. Whether you are shopping for someone else or treating yourself, the market offers enough variety to make the stop worthwhile even on a rainy day when the garden walk is not an option.
The Fish Boil: A Dinner Experience Unlike Anything Nearby
The fish boil is one of those experiences that sounds unusual until you actually see it happen, and then it becomes the thing you tell everyone about afterward. Barbara walks guests through the history and process of the traditional fish boil, explaining how the method works and what makes it distinctive from any other way of preparing a meal outdoors.
The moment when kerosene hits the fire and the pot boils over dramatically is the kind of spectacle that earns its own round of surprised reactions every single time. The boil-over is not just theatrical.
It serves a functional purpose, releasing oils from the cooking process in a way that results in cleaner, better-tasting fish.
Lake Superior whitefish, red-skin potatoes, onions, coleslaw, garlic toast, herb butter, and a slice of cherry pie with ice cream make up the feast. Long white picnic tables under shady trees set the scene for a dinner that feels genuinely communal and memorable, the kind of meal that earns a spot in travel stories for years afterward.
Tuesday Tea and Seasonal Events Worth Timing Your Visit Around
Tuesday Tea is one of the quieter offerings at Cherry Point, and it draws a crowd that appreciates a slower, more intentional kind of afternoon. The event pairs the farm’s garden setting with the kind of relaxed social atmosphere that is genuinely hard to find in most travel destinations.
Timing a visit around it adds a layer to the experience that a standard drop-in cannot replicate.
Seasonal events rotate throughout the summer, which means repeat visitors often find something new happening each time they return. The Sunday brunch option, available by reservation, offers another way to experience the farm’s food in a more structured setting.
Checking the website or calling ahead ensures you do not miss something worth planning around.
The events are not just add-ons to the market visit. They reflect a genuine effort to create a community gathering space around the farm.
That intention shows in the details, from the table settings to the care put into each menu item, and it makes Cherry Point feel like more than just a stop on a road trip.
The Herb Garden at the Center: A Surprise Within a Surprise
Many people arrive at Cherry Point specifically for the lavender, but more than a few walk away saying the herb garden stole the show. The thirty-six beds at the center of the labyrinth are arranged in a vesica pattern, and the variety of plants inside them covers a remarkable range of textures, scents, and colors.
Signage throughout the garden provides information about the plants, their uses, and their histories, turning the walk into something educational without ever feeling like a lecture. Spending real time at the center rather than just passing through rewards visitors with details that a quick glance misses entirely.
The herb garden functions as the emotional payoff of the labyrinth walk. After winding through the lavender rows and following the path inward, arriving at this circular centerpiece feels like reaching a destination that earned its place at the heart of the design.
It is a garden within a garden, and that discovery tends to catch people off guard in the most satisfying way possible.
Practical Tips for Planning Your Visit
The lavender labyrinth is free to enter during farm operating hours, which makes it one of the better free outdoor experiences in western Michigan. No ticket, no reservation, no fee.
Just show up, grab a map from inside the store, and head out into the garden at your own pace.
Mid-July through early August gives you the best chance of catching the French lavender at peak bloom, but the garden holds its appeal through the broader summer season. Arriving earlier in the day is smart for two reasons: the baked goods selection is fuller, and the garden tends to be quieter before afternoon crowds arrive.
Cash on hand is useful for small purchases under five dollars. The farm is located at 9600 W Buchanan Rd in Shelby, and the drive along Scenic Drive is pleasant enough to treat as part of the outing rather than just the commute.
Checking the website at cherrypointmarket.net before going confirms current hours and any upcoming events worth building your visit around.
Why People Return Year After Year
Repeat visitors to Cherry Point share a consistent pattern: they came the first time for the lavender, and they keep coming back for everything else. The combination of a beautiful garden, genuinely good food, locally made products, and a welcoming atmosphere creates a loop that is easy to fall into happily.
The staff earns frequent praise for being warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about the farm and its offerings. That kind of consistent hospitality is not accidental.
It reflects the tone set by an owner who has invested real thought into what she wants visitors to experience each time they walk through the door.
For families, couples, solo travelers, and groups of friends, Cherry Point manages to offer something worth returning for regardless of the season or the reason for the trip. The lavender may be what puts it on the map, but the full picture of what this farm has built over the years is what keeps it there.
Some places earn their reputation one cherry strudel at a time.
