This is by all means the Mecca for lavender lovers and the epicenter of English Lavender. Norfolk Lavender was started in the 1930’s as the result of one man’s dream. Having witnessed the demise of lavender in Mitcham, Linneaus Chilvers planned to resurrect the English lavender industry. As lavender is a hardy plant which likes light, well-drained, fairly alkaline soil, Linn Chilvers felt that north Norfolk, with its lower than average rainfall, would be ideal place for lavender to grow.
Norfolk Lavender’s Caley Mill boasts one of the largest collections of lavender varieties. In addition, visitors to Caley Mill, in July and August, can witness the entire operation, from the unloading of the sacks, to loading up the stills, treading down the plant material, and finally the emergence of the essential oil and water from the Florentine, amid a continuous flow of cold steam. The air is heavy with the scent of lavender, and it is easy to feel transported to an earlier time and a different pace of life.
One of the key events held at this popular Norfolk attraction, which celebrates its 75th Anniversary in 2007, is the annual Lavender Festival which will take place on 23-24 June in 2007.
The Jersey Lavender Farm is located on one of the British-dependent Channel Islands off the coast of Normandy, France. If this is a travel spot of your choice, then undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable and relaxing ways to spend a few hours of your stay will be amongst lavender fields.
Jersey Lavender is a family owned and run business. The owners grow lavender, harvest it and distil it to produce lavender essential oil. This lavender oil is the key ingredient in their range of toiletry and perfume products. Rosemary, eucalyptus and cypress are also grown and distilled on the farm and their oils are used in the same way. The farm is a local tourist attraction, with a shop and tearoom and extensive gardens.
Staplehurst Grange are traditional distillers and blenders of fine English fragrances. We extract a highly prized floral Lavender Oil from our own Lavender Farm set in the midst of the two hundred acres of the medieval Staplehurst Grange.
Isle of Wight Lavender Limited offer daily use products such as hand-made vegetable soap, bath and shower gel, shampoo with conditioning agent, bottles of essential oils, a Lavender water, candles and accessories of linen sachets, Lavender bags and pillows.
As our products contain an unadulterated Essential Oil of Lavender many of them can be used as aromatherapy products.
Yorkshire Lavender is the north of England's Premier Lavender Farm, Gardens and Herb Nursery set in a spectacular hillside farm of nearly 60 acres, within the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They have hundreds of different lavender plants and herbs for sale, EJ's Tea Room/Restaurant to enjoy delicious food, a Gift Shop brimming with lavender and herb products, a parkland walk and many new garden design features. The panoramic view over the Vale of York is said to be one of the best in Yorkshire!
You can spend a day at the Wolds Way Lavender at Wintringham, North Yorkshire - where you can walk round the 12-acre site and enjoy the vast variety of plants that are growing on the site. Visit the distillery where the oil producing plants are processed to extract their essential oils on site.
Visitors are welcome to enjoy the gardens, learn about lavender, visit the gift shop and Herb and Plant shop, and to have a snack in the Tea Room. A leisurely stroll around the site reveals the amazing differences between one variety of lavender and another. Plenty of seating is available, enabling the sights and fragrant smells to be absorbed at a relaxing pace.
At Snowshill Lavender Farm, lavender planting started in a very small way back in 2000. From a few hundred plants put in the ground on hands and knees, they have now grown to 53 acres of lavender, 250,000 plants, some 70 miles of rows.
Lavender has thrived on the gentle free draining limestone hills. At 1000 feet above sea level the combination of soil type, altitude and climate produce ideal growing conditions for the finest English essential oils.
With colours ranging from the rich deep purples through subtle blues to delicate pinks and whites, there is a lavender to compliment every garden.
The crops are steam distilled on the farm and made into a unique range of lavender toiletries and gifts.
A visit to Snowshill Lavender wouldn’t be complete without trying one of the delicious temptations in the Country Tea room. Why not try a special Snowshill Lavender Cream Tea available with Lavender scones or the unique Lavender & Lemon cake.
The four species of lavender are: Folgate with a mild aroma which produces a top quality English lavender oil; Maillette, originally from France with a strong perfume, also for top quality essential lavender oil; Imperial Gem and Grosso which are primarily used for dried production and bunching because of their vibrant colour. Grosso produces the pungent and abundant lavandin oil.
After harvesting the lavender is distilled at the farm distillery. The lavender oil is then left to mature for several months before being processed into a range of body care. Visitors are welcome to Hartley Park Farm during the summer months.
