HITCHIN LAVENDER - A HERTFORDSHIRE DELIGHT (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)
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HITCHIN LAVENDER - A HERTFORDSHIRE DELIGHT
8:19pm Sunday 10th July 2011
By Ann Janes »
On a lovely sunny July day last week I went with some gardening friends to visit the lavender fields at Cadwell Farm, near Hitchin. Anyone who knows me can’t help but be aware of my deep love of lavender. I love everything about it, looks, colour, perfume, texture, its versatility and its special properties. Anyone, like me, who is a magnet to all those nasty little flying, biting insects should try pure lavender oil – before I discovered its magic I really suffered but I now smother myself in the oil, it must be the real stuff and not a pale cosmetic version, and I haven’t been bitten once. The farm covers over 12 acres and ten different kinds of lavender are grown. It was so peaceful just to walk along the fields planted with row upon row of lavender. The bright sunshine brought out the wonderful colour and the perfume was a joy. Butterflies flew from flower to flower and bees were busily collecting nectar to turn into delicious honey.
Cadwell Farm is very much a family business and guests are made to feel very welcome. Tea, coffee, cold drinks and light snacks are available in the 17thC barn where the dried lavender is stored. The small gift shop sells a wide selection of lavender products all made from their own lavender. There was a collection of different potted lavender plants for sale together with a small selection of herbs. I bought a fairly stubby flowered variety, rejoicing in the name of ‘Fat-Head’ (irresistible) and one with an unusual leaf formation called ‘Pinnata’. I was also able to replace the chocolate mint I lost to the extreme cold last winter and add a small rosemary to my collection.
I can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny, summer day. Cadwell Farm is located in Ickleford, Hitchin, Herts. Their website is www.HitchinLavender.com and the tel no is 01462 434343. The entrance cost of £4 includes a plastic bag for you to fill with cut-your-own lavender; they even lend you a pair of scissors.
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