Jo’s Monday walk : Yorkshire Lavender

I’ve been aware of the existence of Yorkshire Lavender for a couple of years, but I had no idea that this family concern had been going for more than twenty.  Almost 60 acres of south facing farmland on the Howardian Hills have been cultivated into a rolling sea of lavender.  It began as a project and distraction when the owner’s wife died, leaving him with two young children.  What a tribute it is, to her and to them.

I had set my heart on a pot of white lavender, having seen some at Hampton Court Flower Show.  Scarcely was I through the door when my eyes alighted on the very thing. And in awfully nice company, too!  ‘Heavenly Angel’ was destined to come home with me.

But first I’d better take you on a tour of inspection.  We’ll take it slowly because you don’t want to miss anything.

Breathtaking, isn’t it?  I hardly would have thought that such impact could be created with lavender, but it curved sensuously away, a delicious romp of lilacs, pink and white.  And the aroma?  Wafting gently at you from all sides.

Old and young experience the joy together, the children whooping through the maze and turning cartwheels, smiles on the faces of their elders. Nor is it only about the lavender. Densely packed borders tilt and sway with fronds of delicate grasses and exquisite beads of colour.  I defy anyone to hurry through this garden.

Beside the Wibbly Wobbly Way, a switchback of green and lavender, a gardener paused in her labours to explain to us something of the history of the garden and its planting.  The lavender will all be cut back in 2 ferocious days of harvesting in early September.  Till then, it’s ours to admire.

All afternoon I waited for the sun to shine, to burnish the softly swaying fronds of grass, but it was not to be.

If the youngsters are getting bored, there’s a giant snakes and ladders game to play and a small enclosure with deer, but I was having trouble tearing myself away from the dazzling array of plants, some of which I’d never seen before.

Climbing the hillside to the top of the site I came across a pond with water lilies.  The gardens are continuing to develop, and several people that I talked to had noticed a big improvement in recent years.  I was more than happy with what I found.

New strains of lavender are introduced, alongside tried and trusted favourites.  At the top of the hill, a last bit of whimsy.  A cricket match is in progress.  Don’t look at me!  I can neither bowl nor bat, let alone catch.  Maybe I could umpire?

The gardens are open from the end of March to 1st October, a £3 charge being made from June till August.  Out of season, entry is free.  A shop sells lavender products, and in the tearooms you can sample lavender scones, with jam and cream, of course.  What’s keeping you?

Many thanks for joining me again this week.  Walkers or readers, it doesn’t matter.  You’re all wonderful company.  If you’d like to join in with a walk of your own, details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page.  You’ll be very welcome.  Time to put the kettle on now, and settle in for a good read.

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Drake starts us off with a vintage train ride this week :

On track of the past

Fancy a swift trip to the barrage and back with Debbie?

A quick walk around the bay

Welcome Violet again!  Look what she found in Toronto :

Rubber ducky

Jackie’s in Toronto too.  I do like the look of that roof garden :

Let’s Chew the Fat

Woolly is still with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment :

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk30_Beaumont-Hamel-Pt-2

What a time Lady Lee had at the spa!

Spa weekend in Bad Fussing

Cathy has finished work in Japan.  It’s all fun from now on!

The Daibutsu Hiking Course, a Love Shrine and a money washing shrine

There’s usually a way, if you look for it.  Do visit resourceful Down by the Dougie :

Coastal walk from Lyme – Charmouth, Golden Cap and Stonebarrow

Lisbon looks good from lots of angles so we’ll forgive Becky for taking to the water :

Crossing the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula

‘Twixt land and sea, Susan lyrically experiences the perfection that is California :

Walking Port San Luis Pier

And the ‘other’ Susan has a treat for us bookworms, in NYC :

A Walk Along Library Way

That’s it for another week.  Hope you can fit in some walking between showers.  See you soon!

 

 

178 comments

  2. Gorgeous, gorgeous photos and post! I have very fond memories of lavender and we have several different ones in our garden. The scent of it always reminds me of my mother who wore lavender hair oil (I’ve forgotten the make – Yardley, perhaps?) and, for a reason that escapes me, it also reminds me of the seaside when I was a child, and that feeling of freshness one gets by the sea. Maybe there were lavender bushes near the hotel we used to stay at.

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      1. Yes, I also remember the gypsy sellers… lavender, and of course heather… “loverly heather… get yer loverly ‘eather ‘ere’ (probably not gypsies at all…) Oh and by the way, we have some white lavender… it’s lovely but a bit temperamental.

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  4. Interesting reading the comments how many people actually get headaches from lavender when it is normally used to relax you. The only lavender farm I have been to was in Hampshire and the smell was amazing. All purple though unlike this one with the different varieties. So did you finish the day with lavender scones then? I would have 😀

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    1. I know you would have! We were actually quite restrained and just had a sandwich because we were at an Open Garden on the Sunday and had scones and cream then. How the other half live. 🙂 🙂

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      1. Sadly I have only had two cream teas this year, both at home!! Forgot to say on the comment that you were probably better off with the cloud otherwise the sunlight would have drained the colour out of those shots. We bought 6 small lavender plants for Alex yesterday. He is outside now watching for bees and soaking up some much needed vitamin D 🙂

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  7. Oh, how wonderful, Jo! The colours of the lavender, those Howardian hills, and the scent must be divin! I would love to try lavender scones…

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      1. I once had lavender Crème brûlée…..very good it was too! Oh, and thanks for rescuing me from Spam! By the way, I have posted a ruin today that will be much more to your liking!!

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    1. You would like this, when next you’re in Yorkshire, Carol. 🙂 🙂 We brought a very unusual tall lobelia home and the white lavender. The lobelia is planted and looking very splendid but the lavender’s still in its little pot. Mick’s excuse is it keeps raining every time he thinks of planting it. 🙂

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  10. Great photos as always. The gardens look beautiful but I’ll have to admire them through your eyes only – the smell of lavender gives me an intense headache so I really hate it and avoid it as much as I can 😦

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  12. A beautiful post, with lavender performing its relaxing magic. You didn’t need the sun to burnish the grass. It’s beautiful as is: the grass against the grey sky. I was at a lavender farm while you we’re writing this I suspect, eating lavender scones with jam and cream. What a delicious coincidence. My garden was wintering, although the sun felt summer-hot. Enjoy your pot of white, my friend.

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    1. How very strange is real life, Meg! 🙂 🙂 The white lavender is getting ready to snuggle up next to our heather in the little front garden. Might as well share it 🙂 Taking advantage of any sun I can in the intervals between rain. It was another Leeds day yesterday so that’s him sorted for a while.

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  14. Looks amazing. I went to Norfolk Lavender in June but it was before any lavender was flowering. I would love to see so much lavender in all its glory! X

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  20. What a gorgeous find. I love the smells of lavender, it would be wonderful to walk through these purple fields. I did not know about white lavender? I am glad you managed to get some. Although the sun was not shining, you manage to snap some beautiful photos 😄

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    1. It’s a little out of the way, Gilda, but we have driven past before and I’ve always wanted to stop for a proper look. It really was beautiful, so I’m glad we did. 🙂 🙂 Thanks a lot! We have a little undecided sunshine this morning.

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