The idea of lavender fields in London may feel a little unnatural, and that they are better suited to Provence or Tuscany. However, the English countryside has a long association with lavender fields, and the oils from this herbaceous flower is often harvested to create a whole range of products.
Lavender is highly sought after due to its iconic scent and calming properties. The lavender season is short, so July and August tend to be the best months to see the delicate, purple blooms. So where should you start? What are the best lavender fields in London?
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Mayfield Lavender
A family owned, organic farm
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Come and explore 25 acres of lavender at Mayfield Lavender Farm. You can wander through the fields as you please, enjoying the gorgeous scents and slowing down a busy life. If you want to rest your feet, you can hop aboard the Looby Loo lavender locomotive to get a tour of the farm and see all 3 types of lavender.
Just over an hour’s drive from London, you’ll also find food and gifts which celebrate lavender at Mayfield Lavender Farm. You can dine outside with a lavender cream tea or sample the lavender gin and cider. The gift shop contains lots of lovely products including soaps, candles and plants. We recommend booking in advance as the farm can get busy.
Ubicación: 1 Carshalton Rd, Banstead SM7 3JA, UK
Horarios: Farm opens seasonally, June–August. Shop is open all year round: Monday–Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm
Teléfono: +44 (0)7503 877707
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Hitchin Lavender
Get lost in the beauty of nature
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Hitchin Lavender Farm covers 30 acres of land which you can explore freely, and can even pick some of your own lavender. You can also see the lavender display field which showcases 60 varieties of lavender plants. As you go through these fields, you’ll see different types of wildlife such as bees, hares, butterflies, partridges and skylarks.
Just under a 2-hour drive from London, Hitchin Lavender Farm also features a sunflower field and a gorgeous wildflower meadow. If you’re a history buff, don’t miss the Lavender Museum which explains the heritage of lavender growing here. The farm also includes a café and a shop which includes several products which make the local lavender the star of the show.
Ubicación: Cadwell farm, Arlesey Rd, Ickleford, Hitchin SG5 3UA, UK
Horarios: Wednesday–Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Monday–Tuesday)
Teléfono: +44 (0)1462 434343
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Castle Farm
Forget Provence, come to Castle Farm
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The rolling purple fields will make you think you’re in the south of France, not the UK. Castle Farm creates a real experience by offering lavender tours, walks and picnics. The guided tours will take you behind the scenes and explain the process from planting to pressing into oils. The walks are dog friendly and offer picture perfect views.
Castle Farm is a family-run business located in Sevenoaks, around a 1.5-hour drive from London. It is now the largest lavender producer in the UK. Lavender isn’t just grown here but incorporated into products with essential oils that are extracted just hours after harvesting. You can purchase aromatherapy oils, fresh and dried lavender and lavender-themed food and drink.
Ubicación: Castle Farm, Redmans Ln, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7UB, UK
Horarios: Tuesday–Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)
Teléfono: +44 (0)1959 523219
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Kew Gardens
One of London’s most magnificent gardens
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An incredible homage to natural beauty and showcasing some of the most stunning plants, it would be remiss for Kew Gardens not to feature lavender. However, rather than wide, rolling lavender fields which you may see at other sites, Kew opts to carefully sprinkle lavender throughout the gardens. You’ll see this pop of colour and calming scent in the Queen’s Gardens, the Mediterranean Garden and the Duke’s Gardens.
Richmond is around a 50-minute drive from London, Kew is also a great spot for snapping a new selfie surrounded by nature. At Kew, you’ll also find a shop with lots of plant-based gifts and a restaurant.
Ubicación: Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3AE, UK
Horarios: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm
Teléfono: +44 (0)20 8332 5655
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Carshalton Lavender
Pick your own lavender
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Carshalton Lavender is a not-for-profit organisation which looks after 3 acres of lavender. On one weekend a year, they open the field to the public and invite people to come and pick their own lavender.
This area in Carshalton Beeches, Surrey, was once the lavender capital of the world, and the scheme strives to protect and celebrate this long heritage. A new field was planted with exclusive plant cuttings from local gardens that were believed to be from the original historic lavender fields of the 1900s. This makes the oil from these plants totally unique and can be bought from the fields and from selected shops in the local vicinity.
Ubicación: Oaks Way, Carshalton SM5 4NQ, UK
Horarios: Hours vary by season
Teléfono: +44 (0)7948 174907
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Chelsea Physic Garden
A secret botanical garden
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Often overlooked, the Chelsea Physic Garden is a hidden gem in the heart of London. Originally designed for medicinal purposes, the garden contains over 5,000 edible medicinal and herbal plants in beautiful glasshouses. Of course, lavender is one of these fantastic plants. In fact, lavender played a central role in their “Dash of Lavender” tour which looked at botany through a queer lens.
Found in Chelsea, at the edge of the Thames, these gardens are a lovely way to spend an afternoon and often feature seasonal events like children’s workshops, immersive theatre and fairs. Make sure you stop by the cafe for a truly delicious lavender scone.
Ubicación: 66 Royal Hospital Rd, London SW3 4HS, UK
Horarios: Sunday–Friday from 11 am to 5 pm (closed on Saturdays)
Teléfono: +44 (0)20 7352 5646
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Kennington Park
Lavender brings a pop of colour to a Victorian park
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This beloved park has seen lavender blossoming in it for generations. You won’t find rolling fields of lavender, but you will discover swathes of 2 different types of lavender. This adds a pop of colour to the park and soothes visitors with its signature calming scent. The blues and purples under the Mediterranean trees will give you that summer feeling.
Kennington Park in South London is a Victorian-style park with several winding paths to explore. The lavender also contributes to the “Bee Urban,” a London-wide centre for beekeeping and conservation.
Ubicación: Kennington Park Rd, London SE11 4BE, UK
Teléfono: +44 (0)20 7926 9000
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Finchingfield
Luxury camping surrounded by lavender
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Finchingfield is a micro-lavender farm with 3.5 km of lavender. If you choose to camp here (or glamp if you’re feeling fancy), you’ll have unlimited access to the lavender field with its incredible sunset views and a perfect atmosphere for a relaxing evening. Day tickets are also available during the lavender season, including having access to pick your own lavender.
Just over a 1.5-hour drive from London, Finchingfield farm also holds a lavender festival once a year which includes a live jazz band, a DJ, yoga, a makers’ market, a gin bar and lawn games. There’s also a cafe on site and you can even pre-book an afternoon tea picnic box for a true English experience.
Ubicación: Finchingfield Camping, Howe Street, Finchingfield CM7 4JB UK
Horarios: Lavender field opens seasonally, June–August
Teléfono: +44 (0)7871 254626
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Vauxhall Park
A small park with a big heart
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Vauxhall Park is very much a hidden gem and the only London park with lavender fields. The park opened its fields in 2004 and they have been popular ever since. Initially, bees and butterflies were the most frequent visitors, but the lavender has increasingly become a reason for people to visit the park in recent years.
Located in Lambeth, South London, the lavender is lovingly tended to by a team of volunteers who plant, care and harvest it. Once a year they host an annual community harvest which everyone is welcome to take part in, and helpers are rewarded with their own sprigs of lavender. The flowers are then used to produce oil that is sold at South Lambert Market.
Ubicación: Vauxhall Park, Lawn Ln, London SW8 1JY, UK
Horarios: Monday–Friday from 8.30 am to 6 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm
Teléfono: +44 (0)20 7926 9000
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Hartley Park Farm, Alton
Four generations of lavender farming
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Hartley Park lavender fields have been farmed by the same family for the last 4 generations. Set against the ancient trees of the Selborne Hanger, the purple flowers add colour to this dense, dark woodland. Now a local landmark, this farm specialises in farming the Grosso variety of lavandin.
Nestled in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, just under 2 hours from London, the farm uses the lavender oil to create several lovely products, including hand and body creams, home fragrance products, essential oils and gift sets. You can even customise the gift set to include all your favourite items.
Ubicación: Hartley Park Farm Business Centre, Selborne Rd, Alton GU34 3HD, UK
Horarios: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm
Teléfono: +44 (0)1420 511521
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