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If you searched for Jenny Merwin, you probably already know her name is tied to actor Timothy Busfield. But that connection is only the beginning of her story. Jenny spent years working behind the scenes of some of Hollywood’s most recognizable productions, raised two children, and then quietly walked away from the entertainment world to grow lavender in a California river delta town. Here is the full picture of who she is, what she built, and where she stands today.
Quick facts: Jenny Merwin
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Jennifer Merwin Busfield |
| Known as | Jenny Merwin |
| Birth year | Estimated early 1960s |
| Age (2026) | Estimated early 60s |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Fashion designer, former costume professional, entrepreneur |
| Famous for | Ex-wife of Timothy Busfield, Hollywood costume work, Z-Line Lavender Farm |
| Ex-spouse | Timothy Busfield (m. 1988, div. 2008) |
| Children | Daisy Busfield, Samuel Busfield |
| Sibling | Melissa Merwin (costume designer) |
| Business | Z-Line Lavender Farm, Clarksburg, California |
| @jennymerwin, @zlinelavenderfarm | |
| Net worth | Estimated $300,000 – $1 million |
Her early life and roots in Clarksburg
Jenny grew up in Clarksburg, a small town sitting in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The town is quiet by most standards, the kind of place where families know their neighbors and everyone has a story about the land. Her grandparents ran a ranch on Z Line Road, and that property later gave her lavender business its name.
Her sister, Melissa Merwin, also grew up with a love for fabric and craft. Both would eventually find their way into Hollywood wardrobe rooms, working side by side during the 1990s. The details of Jenny’s formal education are not public, but her body of work tells its own story. She developed a precise eye for detail early, and it showed in everything she touched.
Her career as a costume professional and fashion designer
Jenny’s creative career had two parallel tracks. On one side, she designed original clothing for boutiques and private clients. On the other, she worked as a costume professional for film and television productions during Hollywood’s busy 1990s era.
Her credits include work on:
- Point of No Return (1993) — the Bridget Fonda action thriller
- Fallen (1998) — the Denzel Washington supernatural crime film
- Ellen — the ABC sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres
She and Melissa often worked on the same projects, splitting the labor of fittings, fabric sourcing, and the long hours that come with a production schedule. The wardrobe department is one of the least glamorous corners of Hollywood, but the work demands real skill. Jenny had it, and directors noticed.
How Jenny met Timothy Busfield
By the late 1980s, Timothy Busfield was a rising television name. His role as Elliot Weston on thirtysomething had made him a recognizable face, and the show ran from 1987 to 1991. Their paths crossed through the overlapping worlds of Los Angeles film production and social events that tend to pull performers and crew together.
They married on September 11, 1988, in a private ceremony that suited Jenny’s low-key nature. The marriage that followed lasted nearly twenty years. In 1992 they played matchmaker, introducing Jenny’s sister Melissa to actor Joshua Malina, a connection that led to another wedding. Jenny later joked that she saw it coming from the start.
Their children
Daisy Busfield
Daisy, the couple’s daughter, graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University in 2011 with a degree in communications. She built a career in San Francisco as a freelance photo stylist, working with brands including Gap, Athleta, and The RealReal. Her work is essentially an extension of what her mother did for decades: arranging clothing and styling objects for visual effect. In high school at Malibu High, she also played varsity volleyball and basketball.
Samuel Busfield
Samuel keeps a much lower profile than his sister. Born in the early 1990s, he was sixteen when the divorce was filed. Court documents from Jenny’s filing show she requested joint legal and physical custody of him specifically. After finishing school, he stepped entirely out of the public eye. He has no known public social media presence and works outside the entertainment industry, a choice that speaks clearly about what he values.
The divorce
By late 2007, Jenny and Timothy had been married for nearly two decades. On December 11, 2007, Jenny filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences. She asked for joint custody of Samuel, spousal support, and coverage of her legal fees. Daisy was already in college at the time.
The divorce was finalized in 2008, ending a nineteen-year marriage. Timothy went on to marry actress Melissa Gilbert in April 2013 after the couple got engaged at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara. Jenny, by contrast, took a different road entirely.
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Who is Timothy Busfield?
Timothy Busfield was born on June 12, 1957, in Lansing, Michigan. His father, Roger Busfield, was a drama professor, and the household ran on stories and scripts. After studying drama and a brief stint in the Navy, Timothy moved to New York and understudied Matthew Broderick in Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway.
Television defined his career. The Emmy Award he won in 1991 for thirtysomething established him as a serious dramatic actor. He followed it with a prominent role as Danny Concannon on The West Wing and later appeared in Field of Dreams, Revenge of the Nerds, and directed over 150 television episodes across shows including This Is Us and Chicago Med. He also co-founded the B Street Theatre in Sacramento with his brother Buck.
In early January 2026, Busfield was arrested on child sex abuse charges in New Mexico. He was indicted on four felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor, stemming from allegations involving twin boy actors on the set of the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady, which he directed. Busfield pleaded not guilty on February 11, 2026, and the trial is scheduled for 2027. He has denied all allegations. Jenny declined all press requests for comment and returned to her farm.
Z-Line Lavender Farm and her life now
After the divorce, Jenny drove north to Clarksburg and back to her grandparents’ old land on Z Line Road. She planted more than five hundred lavender plants across five varieties and named the project Z-Line Lavender Farm. It was exactly the kind of project her background prepared her for: something tactile, creative, and made by hand.
She sews lavender sachets in a small studio, selecting fabrics from local shops and weekend markets. She sells at pop-up fairs, through the Aleph Gallery in Newport Beach, and at Engel & Volkers events in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her Instagram pages, @jennymerwin and @zlinelavenderfarm, show neat rows of purple blooms alongside handmade cloth bags. Buyers report the products feel personal and well-made, which is a reasonable outcome for someone who spent years making sure costumes fit perfectly on camera.
Clarksburg neighbors simply call her the lavender lady. She seems fine with that. The lavender plant, long valued for its calming scent and uses in everything from cooking to skincare, turns out to be a good fit for someone who built an entire second life around patience and craft. Her story since the divorce has been entirely her own, built far from sets and premieres, in quiet California soil.
Final thoughts
Jenny Merwin’s name comes up in searches because of who she married. But the more interesting story is what she did with the years that followed. She left a demanding industry, returned to a town most people have never heard of, and built something beautiful and entirely her own. Her children are living full lives. Her farm is real. And she has remained exactly as private as she always wanted to be, which in itself says something about the kind of person she is.
FAQ
Who is Jenny Merwin?
Jenny Merwin is an American fashion designer and former Hollywood costume professional. She worked on productions including Fallen and Ellen during the 1990s, and is also known as the ex-wife of Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield. She married Timothy in 1988 and the couple divorced in 2008 after nearly twenty years.
What does Jenny Merwin do now?
Jenny runs Z-Line Lavender Farm in Clarksburg, California, on land that belonged to her grandparents. She grows lavender, makes handmade sachets and small products, and sells them at artisan markets and galleries across California. She also maintains active Instagram pages under @jennymerwin and @zlinelavenderfarm.
How many children does Jenny Merwin have?
Jenny has two children with Timothy Busfield. Her daughter, Daisy Busfield, is a freelance photo stylist in San Francisco who has worked with brands like Gap and Athleta. Her son, Samuel Busfield, lives a private life outside the entertainment industry.
Did Jenny Merwin comment on Timothy Busfield’s 2026 charges?
No. When reporters contacted her after Timothy Busfield was arrested in January 2026 on child sex abuse charges in New Mexico, Jenny declined all comment. She has not made any public statement about the case.
What is Jenny Merwin’s estimated net worth?
Her net worth is estimated between $300,000 and $1 million. Her income comes from fashion and costume work accumulated over her career, her lavender business, and likely spousal support from the 2008 divorce settlement.
Did Jenny Merwin work with her sister in Hollywood?
Yes. Her sister, Melissa Merwin, is also a professional costume designer. The two worked together on various productions during the 1990s. Jenny also introduced Melissa to actor Joshua Malina in 1992, a meeting that led to their marriage.
