Capturing the essence of sunny days, lavender farms and fields have matured into tourist attractions drawing lovers of purple carpets worldwide. Lavender also entices visitors for health benefits too. So where is the best lavender field to visit?
Lavender Fields In England
Norfolk, Somerset, Surrey, Kent, Kinross, the Cotswold Hills and even London all display different hues, breeds and varieties. In London, Carshalton Lavender is an award-winning heritage community project which aims to revive and maintain the heritage of local lavender which date back in the early 1900s. Each year, it holds London’s only not-for-profit Pick Your Own Lavender event. It’s 25th annual harvest takes place on 27-28th July. The project is run solely by volunteers, and proceeds from this harvest event keep the field running from year to year. Apart from a colourful day out for families, Carshalton Heritage Lavender products are available for purchase which contain essential oil harvested from the field.
In Surrey the Mayfield Lavender Farm has charmed Chinese visitors eager to Instagram the traditional red telephone box amidst its rows. Here lavender is grown and nurtured in the same fields as centuries ago. Banstead and the surrounding areas were once home to a thriving industry which supplied companies known across the globe. These included names such as Yardley and Potter & Moore.
Lavender provides purple theatre in any field or farm. Enveloped by the purple landscape the butterflies provide the star performance. They weave between the mosaic of shades. They flutter by as they kiss the petals sitting on top of neat, slim rows. Skipping over well-trodden pathways, the ground is devoid of weeds thanks to volunteers and paid custodians of the fields.
Lavender Fields In Provence
Dusky purple tinges and delicate fragrances are also emblematic of regions in Provence. Here lavender is known as blue gold and where mini festivals and farmers markets celebrate in its honour. A Museum of Lavender in the dry-stone village of Cabrieres d’Avignon offers interesting details of planting, harvesting and distillation. The best time to visit any of these decorated fields is between June and August. It is recommended to check the purple progress beforehand.
Where is the best lavender field to visit? Sequim in Washington, USA, has earned the nickname the “Lavender Capital of North America.” This location on the Olympic Peninsula has spent the last 20 years transforming arid farmland into a fragrant purple prairie landscape. If there was a capital of lavender fields many would vote the region of Provence in southern France. The village of Sault, located on a high ridge in the Vaucluse is a gateway to the 5.5km “Chemin de Lavandes” , a lavender loop, brimming with lavender fields and narrow roads.
But the real answer is anywhere where a lavender landscape provides the beauty of purple flooring, instilling peace and complete stillness. It is also where the aromas carry you back in time and allow you to just be. And to toast the occasion, there is often the afternoon tea with lavender as the main ingredient in scones, iced cakes, tea, biscuits and even ice cream.
But enjoying the sights is not only the benefit of this pretty scented plant. Lavender has many benefits.Lavender can be used, to relieve burns and itches, as an insect repellent, an air freshener or for relaxation.
Benefits of Lavender
More than a pretty scent, lavender has long been renowned for its soothing and stress-relieving aromatherapy properties. It is an essential oil believed to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. These can aid problems caused by natural imbalances in the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help soothe mild skin irritation and redness. And, of course, it is widely known to help irelaxation and encouraging peaceful sleep.
Lavender Fragrance
It is famed as a purveyor of luxury fragrances and soaps. The once holder of a Royal Warrant, the House of Yardley was established in 1770 where lavender has remained at the core of the brand. Its clean, fresh note is added to many unisex scents as well as floral perfumes. It is used by the top names from Chanel, Tom Ford and Acqua di Parma and Jo Malone.
It is used in many forms. These range from salts and soaps, encased in ragdolls, adorned as cards and stuffed in pillows. Often lavender is added to liquors, dried into teas, sprayed as a pillow mist and enjoyed as flavoured chocolate. More often, is it used as an essential oil for aromatherapy and other relaxing treatments.
Lavender For Wellbeing
To access lavender’s calming effects, the essential oil can be used to make a pillow spray by mixing equal parts of distilled water and witch hazel and then adding several drops of lavender; this mixture can be kept in a spray bottle and applied to a pillow at night.
Add 5-10 drops into your warm bath to relax and rebalance your mind body and soul
Add 2-3 drops to freshen washing
Say goodbye to moths by hanging lavender bags in wardrobes
Freshen clothes by placing a lavender bag into drawers. Remember to squeeze gently regularly to reactive the fragrance.
And finally, plant lavender on either side of your garden pathways so any movement will release the fragrance.
Please note, users should check for any allergic reacting by patch testing new products before use.
History Of Lavender
The ancient cultures of the Greeks and Romans used it to perfume their baths, Egyptians in rituals honouring the dead. During Medieval times it was strewn on the floors of churches and homes. In Tudor times it was stuffed into quilted jackets and caps. Lavender is thought to have originated in the highlands of India but today it grows in many sunny, well-drained spots around the world. France is believed to be the epicentre.
