Comments on: In The Lavender Fields Of Surrey https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/06/24/in-the-lavender-fields-of-surrey-x/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:31:32 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Ann Vosper https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/06/24/in-the-lavender-fields-of-surrey-x/#comment-1741644 Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:31:32 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=203689#comment-1741644 Yes, lavender is beautiful. For me it is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

]]> By: beth mcgowan https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/06/24/in-the-lavender-fields-of-surrey-x/#comment-1741295 Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:16:59 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=203689#comment-1741295 Beautiful

]]> By: Lynne Perrella https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/06/24/in-the-lavender-fields-of-surrey-x/#comment-1741237 Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:32:17 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=203689#comment-1741237 Big, blowsy, leggy stalks of lavender are growing, right at this moment, in the unruly patch right next to my kitchen door. Although all of my deck plantings and outdoor furnishings/props have been set up and look pristine, there is always a discouraging “chaos” area near the kitchen door. Every year I run out of gardening fervor before that area is tackled. So, a towering red rose flourishes there — but, sadly, it is surrounded by other-less-attractive wildness. Sigh. With temps in the high 90s these days, I have a convenient excuse to ride out the chaos.

Your gorgeous mannered beds of lavender (complete with butterfly!) remind me of the real beauty of lavender plants, lovingly and expertly tended — and how beautifully abundant it all looks. I once gave an art workshop in Ojai California during the lavender season, and was limp with appreciation for those gorgeous fields. Lavender blue, dilly dilly.

]]> By: Christine Swan https://spitalfieldslife.com/2025/06/24/in-the-lavender-fields-of-surrey-x/#comment-1741176 Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:26:29 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=203689#comment-1741176 Unlike you, I have always loved the scent of lavender, and I have travelled a long way to enjoy it. It has long been associated with Provence, where the relentless, burning sun, suits it well. It is a plant that doesn’t mind arid conditions, including the drying wind coming down from Mont Ventoux.
If you travel further south and east, you can also visit Grasse, home to the French perfume industry. There you can learn how the essential oil is extracted from the plant, and used to make all of the scented products that you can imagine.
Nearer to home, we have Cotswold Lavender, who also open their fields in summertime, and manufacture their own products. These include culinary lavender – guaranteed safe for human consumption. If you have never tried lavender shortbread, please do, it really is marvellous.
My maternal grandmother, who I only know from my late mother’s memories of her, always wore lavender water. She only wore clothes that were black, white, grey, or lavender purple.
Lavender always reminds me of my beloved France, but also of my family. For these reasons, it is one of my favourite flowers.

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