Today I finally fulfilled an ambition I have cherished for a long time, I went to the open day at Lordington Lavender. Lordington, situated near Funtingdon in West Sussex, only opens to the public for four days a year, when you can freely walk the lavender field and take pictures. I nearly missed it this year, yet again! But, the weather cleared, it stopped raining for a nano second, so I grabbed my camera and legged it. I got there about about mid morning. It was very muddy under foot to say the least, but I cracked on *squelch squelch*. The lavender field is situated at the back of the farm, and when I arrived it was already getting busy. As I walked through the farm I could smell the lavender, and it was gorgeous. I turned a corner, and there in front of me, the field, resplendently purple stretched out in front of me, gently sloping up the hill, a truly fabulous sight.
Once I had taken as many pics as I could from both the bottom and top of the field, I went and had some lovely home made cake and tea provided by the volunteers of St. Wilfreds Hospice. The money from the cake and tea stall was going entirely to the hospice.
Now, I am going to be the first to admit, I am NOT very good at landscape photography. I work hard to improve, but my shots always come out very disappointing to say the least. Landscape photography is as much science as art, and it is very hard to get it right, though Luke reckons it’s all about the ‘kit’. I think it’s partly that, but also you just have to learn the hard way’. So, I am sorry to admit, that my shots don’t even slightly do it justice. But, next year I will try harder.
By the way, the staff at Lordington are courteous, informative and charming. The lavender they produce organically is used to make soaps, shampoos, essential oils and more. Because of the eco friendly way they grow the lavender, the field is a haven for a variety of endangered insects and birds, oh…and they keep bees too. They have a shop at the farm where you can buy a range of products, including hand wash, soaps, essential oils etc, which can also be bought from the website.
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Lorrie I love your Lavender photos, made me instantly feel like walking through a field of lavender myself! Also brought back some very fond memories of a house we rented years ago, which was surrounded by lavender. So glad the weather was good and you got the chance to go!
Thank you Mandy. I am sooo glad I just got it together and went, it was worth it. The smell was amazing and seeing all that lovely colour stretching out in front was awesome. I am definitely going next year, and with more money this time 😉
xx
These are beautiful images Lorrie and really evoke the mystery and subtlety of the lavender. I would love to go somewhere like this.
CR