Lavender fields are wonderful, even before you get there you can visualise those bright hues. Perhaps it’s because you dream about capturing your three year old jumping in the air above a sea of purple. Or running with balloons gently blowing in the breeze behind her. Okay so I made the last bit up but you get the picture!
Mayfield Lavender is a 25 acre family run farm located in Banstead, Surrey. There’s a lovely story around how it came about. Owner Brendan Maye believed consumers needed to witness the beauty of lavender to accept it as a relevant fragrance. He was MD at the fine fragrance division of Wella UK at that point.
He came up with a proposal to buy a farm and revive the lavender growing under the Yardley brand. Although this was rejected by his parent company, two years later he got the go-ahead although was stopped from actually buying a farm. The plan fell apart later when the Yardley brand was sold. But unperturbed Brendan decided to acquire the project himself.
While he continued his day job, his wife Lorna came to the rescue learning how to harvest lavender among other things. Brendan and Lorna now work together at Mayfield Lavender. They are proud the field sits on the same spot where lavender was grown in the 18th and 19th century.
Mayfield Lavender has an annual lavender festival in July which includes everything from bug hunts, tractor rides and massages to photography classes, Morris Dancing and the clincher – a hog roast! We couldn’t make it this year but we decided to visit Mayfield for the first time the following day.
It was a glorious day, the sun shone, the sky was blue and littered with cotton wool like clouds. We hoped POD would sleep en route but it wasn’t to be. What a sight greeted us when we arrived though – there was purple as far as the eye could see. A field of total awesomeness.
We took a short walk but food was in order before we ventured further. There’s an array of options available at Mayfield including drinks and treats infused with lavender. We opted for freshly made sarnies and POD had a lolly afterwards. There’s also a great gift shop at Mayfield where you can purchase lavender.
Refueled we set off to explore ever hopeful of capturing POD having fun in the lavender. It wasn’t going to be easy as you can see from this don’t take a photograph of me face.
But she perk up and before long was pointing at the bees and “butt-flies”.
The pathways were nice and wide so there was plenty of room for everyone. The lavender rows were perfectly pruned, they even included areas where you could ‘swap lanes’ if you needed to. POD wasn’t her usual perky self but she had her moments.
Like the moment she took herself off on her own adventure amid the sweet smelling lavender. She may not be facing camera but she didn’t know I was behind her either. Nor that I’d been running like a buffoon to capture her in that sea of purple!
Linking up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast and #CountryKids at Coombe Mill.
[…] Read the rest of the post at its original source by clicking here. […]
It is such a wonderful place isn’t it! So glad you enjoyed it there 🙂 The lavender shortbread is delicious .. just in case you want to go again!
Stunning photos. I love lavender, as luck would have it I found a box of dried lavender at the weekend when I was tiding my craft cubbie. It’s been there for several years but still smells beautiful, ideal for some crafty projects.
Such gorgeous photos! The lavender is just beautiful 🙂
It looks so beautiful and calm there, and I can imagine the gorgeous scents. So many fabulous photos, though I do especially like that last one, and the thought of you running like a buffoon to capture it! x
Absolutely gorgeous photos Charly. Thank you for providing me with some summer holiday inspiration. Xx
This morning. The fist thing when I woke up. I. Searched Lavender fields close to Birmingham! Because of you. And I have found one about an hour away!!! HOORAY! I shall be dragging the husband there very very soon xxx
This looks like such an amazing place. Great story too. I am glad POD perked up, I think the photos are lovely x
Beautiful photos as ever and you know how jealous I am off this lavender farm visit! I had a look at their website and it looks as though it’s only open at certain times of the year which is a shame. The festival sounds amazing! One for next year…
Ah the hat, that rim of rainbow against the lavender is so pretty, and Pod of course!
I love lavender and would so love to visit a lavender park! Too bad this is too far from Cornwall! Love the photos as always 🙂 Back from our holiday, excited to link-up once again with #whatsthestory and also have so much catching up to do with #alphabetphoto! xx
Gorgeous shots Charly – this takes me back to our lavender spree – I can almost smell it looking at these! x
Staggeringly beautiful images, I want them BIGGER, BIGGER, BIGGER-wonder if your theme can allow you to make them even larger-to fill the frame with all their glory! Adore these!
Beautiful photos – I love that last one!
It’s so beautiful and as I was reading this I suddenly realised that this is walking distance from my sister’s house as we recently went for a pub lunch with them in Woodmansterne and some of us drove and the others walked ‘across lavender fields’! Must use this as an excuse to visit the festival one year… But yes, Banstead is a bit of a drive from Guildford eh? Worthy of a nap I’d have thought 🙂
Wow wow wow is all I can say Charly. Love the lavender photos. What a beautiful place! Lavender looks amazing. Thanks for hosting!!! #whatsthestory
So beautiful and lovely story behind the lavender fields.
Gorgeous photos!
Just adore these photos Charly (actually I was fairly convinced I’d already commented on this, must have been distracted by a small child!). Love the story behind the farm too x
Interesting story behind such a lovely farm. I love the continuity, as well. Lavender has to be my favourite scent and I do dream, in idle moments, about having a lavender farm…….#CountryKids
Oh WOW- beautiful pictures 🙂 the purple looks really lovely, looks like she had a great time amongst the flowers! #CountryKids
That looks like another interesting place to explore – I’ve never been to a Lavender farm. Great story behind it too #CountryKids
I love these photos. Lavender fields are amazing!
What a beautiful place to visit! Such an interesting story 🙂
Really gorgeous photos. Lavender gave me such a headache when I was pregnant with Z that I’ve never even thought about going to one incase it makes me ill again. Love the colour though.
Wow, beautiful, amazing photos. We’ve had fun in the lavender too but your photos are brilliant x
[…] been looking at some recent blog posts of beautiful Lavender fields (Manneskjur, Actually Mummy, Podcastdove) so this is my version! Not quite the same, but beautiful and sensory in its own way, […]
Oooh, I love the smell of lavender. That last photo of POD is just lovely x
#countrykids
I always love lavender fields! I havent been on real ones but all of the photos of them in other blogs and yours are just so awesome =) #countrykids