Mayfield Lavender Farm

A very last minute arrangement - a trip to Mayfield Lavender Farm with a friend.

The big field of lavender is quite a spectacular sight and it's lovely to be able to walk between the rows.

Shelters are dotted around the field 

One has a vine growing up it

A tiny snail on one of the lavender flowers.  The butterflies and bees wouldn't sit still for long enough  to have their photos taken.

 The shelters look as if they are floating on purple clouds

At the lower end of the fields the lavender is more fully open and some is being cut - but at the top end it's only just beginning to open. My friend found an informative notice that said there are three varieties of lavender at Mayfield Lavender Farm and they open at slightly different times.

It looks as if the part of the field at the top with the slower opening lavender has been lightly dusted with purple

In a corner at the bottom of the field the variety of lavender that is further developed is being cut leaving little neat green mounds 

The men who were cutting the lavender tied it in bunches as they cut - leaving the bunches balanced on the top of the trimmed mounds until they were ready to collect them together.

All kinds of lavender products are sold in the shop and cafe, not only the lavender bunches. There is soap, shortbread, jams, candles, cakes, scones, biscuits, fudge, teas etc. all with lavender in.

Some of the visitors took advantage of the tractor tour. I like the way the red stands out against the lavender and a light puff of steam/smoke comes out of the tractor chimney

My friend and I enjoyed sitting chatting under the shade of a lavender coloured parasol drinking lavender punch and eating lavender biscuits and a lavender cake. I do like to try something different. The punch and the biscuits were delicately flavoured but I didn't have a cake  this time - I had one last year and wasn't overkeen on the uncooked lavender sprinkled on the icing.

Thank you very much for joining me.