The British Lavender Farming Industry

Lavender farms are becoming big industry in Britain. The delicate fresh scent of the herb has always been a favourite of British perfumers and soap makers. Thanks to the newer commercial interest in all things herbal lavender farms are becoming a more familiar site in England.  You can easily spot an English lavender farm because it creates a very bright landscape of bright purple.

Aside from being beautiful to look at, the rolling hills of lavender impart a beautiful floral scent to the air as well as help keep the bees and butterflies alive in England.  In fact the scent can be almost overwhelming if you live next to a twelve acre lavender farm like the ones in Hitchins, Cadwell and Gordes.

Lavender fields are so beautiful that farmers open them to the general public. Some farms, like the one in Ickleford near Hitchen, draw as many as 400 people a day.  Some farms are sought after as places to get married. In the lavender fields in Hitchins there are teepees erected so special events can be held among the billowing hills of sweet-scented violet lavender.

Lavender is used to make all kinds of classic English products including Lavender soap and Lavender toilet water. Cadwell Farm sells more tha 1000 bottles of pure lavender oil every month. Tons of lavender is also harvested and dried to make pot-pourri.

Lavender has many uses for Britons over the ages. The Romans picked it and wore it to help them ward off lice. The sweet scent was although thought to help relieve the emotional pain of grief.  The Roman emperor Nero used it to help heal female troubles and also as an antidote to poison. The Elizabethans maintained that just one whiff of lavender would help quell lust and temptation.

There are many different types of lavender grown on English farms but the type that survives best is called Grosso. It has a strong, almost minty smell and is very resistant to disease.   A sweeter variety called Ashdown Forest, which is more mauve in color, is also grown on many farms.

These lavender growing farms have become very romantic spots. Picking your own lavender has also become a ritual for some families who take the children out on an excursion. It is easy to make your own lavender oils, pillows, candles and pot-pourri using British lavender that you have picked yourself.  Many of the bigger farms have full gift shops and tea shops attached to them.