Comments on: The Lavender Fields Of Surrey

By: Sarah Price

Sarah Price — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 21:33:35 +0000

I happen to have walked through this on the same day you posted this! It was a great place to discover whilst I was walking the London LOOP walk. These are great photos.

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 19:57:33 +0000

In 1959 when I was 11 years old, due to my father’s new job, our family moved out of London to Mitcham in Surrey. I was entranced by our new address which was no. 1 Lavender Grove in a cul-de-sac off Lavender Avenue. My father always had a wealth of knowledge at his finger tips, and told me about the history of both Mitcham’s former Lavender fields, and also of its Watercress beds. I also had two elderly but much loved aunts whose homes and clothes had always smelled of lavender. Not only did they use lavender scented polish on their dark furniture, but also kept lavender bags in the drawers where they stored their clothes. The smell of lavender immediately brings back memories of those much loved aunts. I currently have several lavender bushes growing in my garden of course.

By: Lynne

Lynne — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 07:51:05 +0000

I grew up in Mitcham and much was made of the lavender heritage when I was at Primary school. As I recall sprigs of lavender featured on the old Mitcham town crest.

By: Bob Ball

Bob Ball — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 06:21:02 +0000

Not far from where I live GA. You reminded me I haven’t been this year. And will now. An interesting side attraction at Mayfield is its regular visits by coach loads of South Koreans and Japanese. Chinese too maybe. Lavender has an almost spiritual quality for them and they come in their best finery for photographs. Wedding parties with brides in full wedding dresses lying amongst the lavender. Maybe I should pop over on this beautiful sunny day.
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By: Sam Griffin

Sam Griffin — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 19:58:59 +0000

Ahh I grew up there, in Woodmansterne, just around the corner. We always drove past these fields.
I love your website and spend much time reading through it. I’m the grandson of a costermonger who lived on Brick Lane, and love the history of the East End.
Nice to see Banstead featured here!

By: Caroline Murray

Caroline Murray — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:38:39 +0000

Thanks for this beautiful and evocative piece! You may be interested in this: https://bit.ly/2TbnmYC

By: Ann V

Ann V — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:17:32 +0000

For me, lavender is one of life’s joys. I cannot be without at least one bottle of lavender oil and a bar of lavender soap in the house. Wonderful!

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 12:15:27 +0000

Ahhhhhhhhhhh….I swear I can smell those fields as I sit here in Toronto! Nice to see/smell the softer haze of English lavender–it’s usually the intense purple of French fields featured in photos.
Thank you!

By: Helen H

Helen H — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 12:06:10 +0000

And long may these gorgeous places last! As a teenager I fell in love with Yardley Lavender soap, it smelt so fresh and clean (Lavender comes from the Latin word “Lavare” meaning “to wash.”) It led me onto the path of pure essential lavender oil and other essential oils. Eventually I became an aromatherapist. I don’t practise anymore but I still use lavender on myself and family to treat ills and infections, and as a huge aid to stress relief and relaxation. I use it everyday, and every room has lavender in it, from moth deterrent bags to dried displays and sleep pillows. I even use it in cooking. And I grow a number of different types of lavender. There are also some beautiful lavender fields in north Kent, in the Darenth Valley – Castle Farm in Shoreham.

By: Cherub

Cherub — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 09:40:00 +0000

Lavender is powerful and has so many uses. We recently had ants coming under our front door and into our apartment, as did our neighbour. I sprayed and wiped 1 part lavender essential oil mixed with 10 parts plus water outside our front doors and voila, no more ants (far better than using something that would kill them off).

I drink camomile and lavender tea when I can’t sleep and lavender smelling tealights neutralise all of the BBQ smells that drift in through my French doors in summer. When I walk near the Rhein I can’t resist rubbing my fingers on it when I pass any.

Another favourite smell of mines at this time of year is Barlauch – wild garlic. It’s quite heady on warm days and best of all you can pick it for free and use it in savoury recipes.