Summer has finally arrived in England and it's lavender season! As temperatures eased towards 30°c this weekend, we took advantage of the blue skies and sunshine and headed out to Castle Farm in Kent.
Castle Farm, a family-run farm near Shoreham, hosts its annual lavender season each year from mid-June to late July. The first time I visited Castle Farm, I took the guided tour and learned all about the distillery process and the difference between lavender and lavandin.
On this occasion, we opted to simply explore the lavender fields and lose ourselves in their tranquility.
I certainly needed it! May was a very difficult month for us here in Kent. My 18-month old cat Poppy went missing for 21 days and it was only after a relentless campaign of posters and leafleting that I managed to track her down again. Thank goodness for my local community who kept me updated with sightings of her!
It's strange how mental health works though. I seemed to cope just fine while Poppy was missing, only to fall apart when I got her back. She was very thin after losing a third of her bodyweight but a visit to the vet told us she was miraculously okay otherwise.
Visiting the lavender fields and taking a moment to breathe it all in really helped.
There is nothing quite like connecting with nature to soothe the soul and heal our hearts.
That feeling of breathing in deeply and taking a long, controlled breath out is like nothing else.
And relax...
The scent of the lavender is so heady. It is not overpowering, unless you're a drunken bumblebee in which case it certainly is!
Poppies for my Poppy.
After pottering about in the field and gazing into the distance, we headed back to the Castle Farm shop to buy a lavender gin and tonic. We also bought some lavender products to take home including lavender cookies, lemonade and sleepy time tea.
Having worked up an appetite, we drove through to Eynsford for lunch at the Plough restaurant. Being such a lovely day, it was no surprise that the Eynsford riverside was full of families enjoyed picnics and paddling in the ford.
In the mood for more Bloom Scrolling? You might also enjoy reading about my first visit to Castle Farm.
Did you know that Poppy and her pack are on Instagram? You can follow Pebbles & the Chaos Kittens for cuteness and feline escapades!
I love flavoured gins, but I have never seen or tasted a lavender gin and tonic. What did you think of the taste and the colour?
ReplyDeleteIt was very subtle - really just a hint of lavender in the gin itself. Very refreshing
DeleteI'm so glad you got your cat back!I tried lavender ice-cream but never lavender gin. How is it?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad too! It was a tough time when she was missing!
DeleteThe lavender gin was lovely - very subtle
Quelle merveille ta page , il ne manque plus que les senteurs
ReplyDeleteJe suis ravie que tu es pu retrouver ton chat ..et ta paix interieure dans cette sortie , la lavande ne peut qu'apaiser les sens ..
Bonne journée à toi
Merci ! Je suis tellement soulagée d'avoir retrouvé mon chat ; c'était une période difficile. Mais nous allons tous mieux maintenant.
DeleteI am so glad you found Poppy and I hope she is fully recovered from her ordeal. I hope you are feeling better too.
ReplyDeleteThe lavender fields look amazing, I love the ladybird detail in the first photo.
Thank you! She is doing very well, although it is a slow process putting the weight back on in a controlled, healthy manner.
DeleteAnd thank you. I liked that ladybird too
a fantastic place, so much beauty all around and you picked a lovely day, Mandy!
ReplyDeleteIt was just wonderful Ayush. A lovely day for it, as you say
DeleteWhat a beautiful sight :) http://www.mariesconnections.com/
ReplyDeleteIt was stunning, Marie!
DeleteI'm so happy that you found Poppy again. It must have been heartbreaking when she was missing. Your photos are lovely and there's nothing quite like the sight of a lavender field. We actually have one very near here, but it's just one field, unlike in Provence where there are hundreds of them. And of course I have some in my garden.... :-)
ReplyDeleteI would love to explore Province in spring and summer. I once explored a rapeseed field in Spring in Normandy and that was a truly uplifting experience
DeleteI am glad you found Poppy again. I really am positive amazed by the fact that there are lavender fields in England. If I would not have know better, this is in the Provence. Friends of ours just came back from there and it is always a delight. I am sure also the English lavender smells out of this world.
ReplyDeleteGreat series again :)
Have a wonderful day.
Visiting Provence is one of my biggest dreams! Did you know that England also has a burgeoning wine trade?
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