Mayfield Lavender Farm is situated in Banstead, Surrey, and is accessible from London via train followed by a bus journey. The route we took meant that we were on the bus for the best part of an hour, but I can't say that the journey was horrible- the bus was air conditioned (important on a summer's day like this!) and the streets of Woodmansterne and Banstead were quite easy on the eye.😃
It costs £7.50 per adult and £2.50 per child to enter the farm, and family tickets and concessions are available. The company also have a smaller site 3 miles away in Epsom, called the Secret Lavender Garden, and if you want to visit both destinations on the same day then it will cost you £12.50 per adult.
Our first proper gawp at the field, and purple is both mine and the SuperDean's favourite colour (he likes lilac, whilst I prefer a darker shade), so it was a delight to visit here.
The train is called Looby Lou, and is often affectionately known as Loopy Loo! It is pulled by a tractor and, for an extra fee, you can take a ride on it.
The white tent is the café and food stalls' eating area. You are not allowed to have picnics on this site, but I do believe they are allowed at their Epsom garden, which also offers an evening sunset experience.
Here is the Potting Shed area, where you can seek advice on how to propagate lavender yourself (we had it in our back garden when I was a kid.😀) Every paying visitor gets a ticket entitling them to a free cutting.
You are not allowed to randomly pick the lavender.
They also have a little Museum, telling you about the history of lavender, and a bit about the farm itself.
Lavender is quintessentially English, and has long been used for medicinal purposes. Herbalists prized the plant as a remedy for headaches, insomnia, burns and insect bites, and it was carried around in pomanders in the 17th century, as it was thought that its properties could ward off deadly illnesses such as the plague. During WWI it was used as an antiseptic.
Lavender has long been used as a perfume and deodorant; to mask body odours and repel insects. Sachets were widely used in linen cupboards to keep moths at bay, and Elizabeth I insisted that her residences were filled with its fragrance. Queen Victoria absolutely adored lavender, and this love sparked an ongoing trend- she enjoyed lavender tea and lavender jelly, and fresh sprigs were strewn across her palace floors.
The farm in Banstead covers 25 acres; the Secret Lavender Garden is 12 acres in size.
A guide to the different varieties of bee you might see. As I child I was scared of bees, but having masonry bees trying to hive in my wall, and having to deal with them, kind of cured me of my phobia!
Lavender is quintessentially English, and has long been used for medicinal purposes. Herbalists prized the plant as a remedy for headaches, insomnia, burns and insect bites, and it was carried around in pomanders in the 17th century, as it was thought that its properties could ward off deadly illnesses such as the plague. During WWI it was used as an antiseptic.
The farm in Banstead covers 25 acres; the Secret Lavender Garden is 12 acres in size.
A guide to the different varieties of bee you might see. As I child I was scared of bees, but having masonry bees trying to hive in my wall, and having to deal with them, kind of cured me of my phobia!
Beautiful butterflies you might encounter. I did see a few white butterflies, but they didn't settle for long enough for me to discover what type they were, exactly!
This area of Banstead once had vast swathes of lavender fields- and was known as the "Lavender Capital of the World"- but these had all but disappeared by the 20th century. In 2002, Brendan Maye (whom the fields are named after) partnered with Bioregional, a local environmental charity, to sponsor a lavender growing initiative...
There are several places for you to strike-a-pose for a photo dotted across the farm, including this bright red tractor, who's named Fergie...
This area of Banstead once had vast swathes of lavender fields- and was known as the "Lavender Capital of the World"- but these had all but disappeared by the 20th century. In 2002, Brendan Maye (whom the fields are named after) partnered with Bioregional, a local environmental charity, to sponsor a lavender growing initiative...
...At the time Brendan worked in the fine fragrance division of Wella, who owned Yardley; a traditional English cosmetics and fragrance company that had somewhat gone out of fashion. The idea was that showcasing the lavender fields would re-establish Yardley's reputation.
An old-fashioned phone box for you to pose in, and they do run annual photo competitions...
...The three categories are:
1) Best Dressed
2) Best Family Photo
3) Best Pet
The Love Bench; and it's a shame there isn't a category just dedicated to a simple view, as this is one photo that came out just perfect.💜
But looking the other way the heart frames the Portaloos! They are not allowed to build permanent buildings on this site due to Metropolitan Green Belt regulations.
Watching Loopy Loo do her thing...😁
Encouraging slogans dominate this installation...
A closer view, and you have a well as well!
Glass butterflies, a tree of life and other windchimes add a tinkling ambience to this area.
After Yardley was sold, in 2005, to another company with no interest in lavender sponsorship, Brendan personally acquired the farm and nowadays he runs it alongside his wife, Lorna. The farm was opened to visitors in 2008.
The farm is only open from the beginning of June until the end of August- in other words, when the lavender is at its most sumptuous best. The Secret Lavender Garden is open all year round, though; as is the company's online shop.
Folgate and Mailette; which are two varieties of Lavandula Angustifolia (English Lavender) and Grosso (a hybrid created through natural cross-pollination) are the three varieties of lavender grown here. They are distilled to create the lavender oil that's used in many of the products on sale here.
This sycamore tree stands sentinel at the centre of the garden, and you can sit and relax underneath it.
Mayfield Lavender embraces organic farming methods, so no chemical pesticides and fertilisers are used throughout the farm. Its practices align with those used by lavender growers in the 18th and 19th centuries.
A closed van behind the sycamore tree. I wonder what it sells- ice cream, maybe?
The chalky soil of this region is naturally suitable for the cultivation of lavender.
Whilst walking through these fields the Marillion song, Lavender, kept running through my head! Incidentally, I own the album that song features on- it's called Misplaced Childhood.
This is Serena's Bed. Serena is Mayfield's "sleep angel," and she's the soothing sleep ambassador. You can purchase Sleep Angel Pillow Mist, and lavender is known for its relaxing, calming and sleep-aiding properties.
This was the first time I had ever visited a lavender farm- it certainly won't be my last. Aside from feeling enchanted by this gorgeous sea of purple, the subtle fragrance of the lavender is very easy on the nose!
Other flowers thrive besides lavender- I did see clumps of yellow flowers, several white flowers, and even a couple of poppies peeking out.
You cannot hire Mayfield Lavender Farm as a venue, although you can hire the Glasshouse Café at the Secret Lavender Garden.
I did want to write this blog using a purple font, but it was enough to give you eye strain- so I decided to be selective, instead!
Behind the purple rows is a section where the lavender has already been harvested. Exact harvesting dates vary each year, due to the variations with the weather.
We spent about an hour and twenty minutes at the farm. If you want to maybe go for a ride on Looby Loo, and have something to eat then you can make more of a day of it. They also have activity packs for children, including a Bee & Butterfly Guide.
The Silent Soldier remembers the sacrifices made by men and women during WWI (1914-1918).
He is invisible, but always there...
A public right of way path runs all the way through the lavender field. They can't stop you using it, but they do request that you go and pay the entrance fee if you decide to wander between the rows.
...It is accessed by climbing over this stile.
I once commented (whilst climbing over a stile) that the only style I do is spelt with a Y, darling!😁😁😁😁
More lavender that's been recently harvested. The farm do advise you to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages so that you can see the state of the lavender; whether it is yet to fully bloom, or whether it has already been harvested.
I just had to go and check out this twisty tree (I think it's an oak- I didn't get close enough to check for its distinctive leaves, due to there being beehives right in front of it...)
You are warned that beehives are behind this fence. Indeed, the area certainly had several stripy friends buzzing around...
It's a shame the little bar called The Craic wasn't open- the SuperDean and I would have liked to have tried a glass of their lavender cider. He just bought a couple of bottles from the shop instead.
The little tree is called the Tree of Lavender Wishes, and you can purchase a ribbon, write your wish or dedication on it and tie it to the tree. At the end of the season, all the ribbons are placed in a time-capsule to be discovered by future generations.
The Lavender Café was serving snacks, but there were street food vending vans- including one selling hotdogs, one selling crepes and another selling pizza- that were well-and-truly closed. Oh well, I don't suppose that everything can be open on a quiet weekday.
I really enjoyed popping into their lavender-themed shop, which sells a huge variety of gifts to suit all tastes and pockets. I bought some lavender dark chocolate, which had a subtle but nicely bitter flavour.
Oooh err, missus! I love the "lady" lavender vases. I also like the vases with a face on them- the face reminds me of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (it's the monobrow!) I recently saw an exhibition devoted to her at the Tate Modern.
There is also an ice cream fridge full of doggie treats. I saw one lady go to pay for one of these only to be told: 'You do know this is for dogs?' She hadn't realised and, I have to say, she looked a tad put out!😁
I tried their signature Mayfield perfume, but it smelt exactly the same as Obsession, which I already own, so I didn't bother buying a bottle.
Then we left, and were lucky as the bus was approaching just as we made it to the nearby bus stop. I sat and relaxed, and nibbled on my chocolate, as we began the long journey back to the railway station.
I will certainly make a point of visiting Mayfield Lavender Farm once a year, and have plans to go and see its sister site in Epsom before harvesting is over.
Until then,
TTFN
The Miss Elaineous
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