One of the advantages of having plenty of rain, as Britain does, is that the land isn't blighted by scorched, yellowed grass as Southern Europe is, and we don't have parched desert areas, such as in the United States or Australia.
Instead, Britain's countryside is always lush and green, and an amazing variety of flowers and plants producing a kaleidoscope of colour.
The photos below may look like they were taken in Southern France, but they were taken in Britain.
Surrey may be a county bordering London, the greatest metropolis in Western Europe, but you wouldn't think it with these pictures.
Mayfield Organic Farm is Britain's largest lavender farm. Lavender has been grown around the village of Banstead for 300 years.
And in the 19th Century, when Britain was the world's economic powerhouse, these fields at the heart of what was then the most prolific lavender growing area in the world
Is this patch of purple the South of France?... No, it's harvest time at Britain's largest lavender farm
By Eddie Wrenn
27th July 2009
Daily Mail
Surrey: location of the lavender farm
The intoxicating smell and deep-purple colours are unmistakable.
But the lavender standing out against the blue sky is not in southern France but in a farm in Surrey just a few miles from London.
Lavender has been grown around the small town of Banstead for 300 years and yesterday was the start of the harvest at Mayfield Organic Farm, Britain's largest lavender farm, which stretches over 25 acres.
Stacking up: A worker gathers up bunches of lavender at the beginning of the harvest at Mayfield Organic Lavender, Surrey
Within weeks the lavender will become a key ingredient of fragrances, oils and even delicacies such as fudge and chocolate, but for a little longer it will remain a colourful purple patch on the outskirt of the town.
The farm was revived in 2002 by husband and wife Brendan and Lorna Maye.
Despite a tough start - particularly when the crows swallowed 70,000 young lavender plants in the couple's first year - they are now beginning to harvest the rewards of an environmentally sustainable business.
Their field sits in the heart of what was the most prolific lavender growing area in the world during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and their team of workers is now busy doing what generations have done before them; harvesting the crop.
Lavender easily cross-pollinates with other variants, so a rich family of species and hybrids have shot up.
The Mayes grow two variants of the plant: English Lavender, with narrow leaves, short stems and barrel-shaped flower heads, and Grosso, which has larger leaves, longer stems and larger flower heads that are pointed at the tip.
The 25 acres of the Banstead farm are covered with lavender, which is harvested at the end of July and used in oils, fudge and even biscuits
What fun! A girl runs through one of the fields, where lavender has been grown since the 17th century
Well equipped: The workers use a mix of machinery and hand-picking to make each bunch. Here you can see a harvest vehicle treading a path through the lavender
With the country pushing towards using more homegrown goods instead of relying on imports, as well as an increased awareness of organic produce, lavender farms like Mayfield are likely to flourish.
But at Mayfield there is one fly in the ointment - or in this case a bug. The rosemary beetle, on the surface a pretty and docile insect, has begun munching its way through gardens and fields in the South of England since it invaded our shores six years ago.
So with regret, the owners have set up the Beetle Busting Campaign, asking volunteers to lend their squashing powers in return for a prize. They don't like to declare war on the creature, but without action it can lay scores of slugs which will munch their way through the crop.
Visitors who come to watch the harvest may even be asked this year to lend a hand, especially if the bugs are spotted.
Each of the plants provides a treat for visiting bees - and there's plenty of lavender to go round
Purple haze: A worker handpicks bunches on the 25-acre organic farm
The end result of the massive harvesting operation, ready to provide another years-worth of precious lavender
dailymail.co.uk
Instead, Britain's countryside is always lush and green, and an amazing variety of flowers and plants producing a kaleidoscope of colour.
The photos below may look like they were taken in Southern France, but they were taken in Britain.
Surrey may be a county bordering London, the greatest metropolis in Western Europe, but you wouldn't think it with these pictures.
Mayfield Organic Farm is Britain's largest lavender farm. Lavender has been grown around the village of Banstead for 300 years.
And in the 19th Century, when Britain was the world's economic powerhouse, these fields at the heart of what was then the most prolific lavender growing area in the world
Is this patch of purple the South of France?... No, it's harvest time at Britain's largest lavender farm
By Eddie Wrenn
27th July 2009
Daily Mail
Surrey: location of the lavender farm
The intoxicating smell and deep-purple colours are unmistakable.
But the lavender standing out against the blue sky is not in southern France but in a farm in Surrey just a few miles from London.
Lavender has been grown around the small town of Banstead for 300 years and yesterday was the start of the harvest at Mayfield Organic Farm, Britain's largest lavender farm, which stretches over 25 acres.
Within weeks the lavender will become a key ingredient of fragrances, oils and even delicacies such as fudge and chocolate, but for a little longer it will remain a colourful purple patch on the outskirt of the town.
The farm was revived in 2002 by husband and wife Brendan and Lorna Maye.
Despite a tough start - particularly when the crows swallowed 70,000 young lavender plants in the couple's first year - they are now beginning to harvest the rewards of an environmentally sustainable business.
Their field sits in the heart of what was the most prolific lavender growing area in the world during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and their team of workers is now busy doing what generations have done before them; harvesting the crop.
Lavender easily cross-pollinates with other variants, so a rich family of species and hybrids have shot up.
The Mayes grow two variants of the plant: English Lavender, with narrow leaves, short stems and barrel-shaped flower heads, and Grosso, which has larger leaves, longer stems and larger flower heads that are pointed at the tip.
With the country pushing towards using more homegrown goods instead of relying on imports, as well as an increased awareness of organic produce, lavender farms like Mayfield are likely to flourish.
But at Mayfield there is one fly in the ointment - or in this case a bug. The rosemary beetle, on the surface a pretty and docile insect, has begun munching its way through gardens and fields in the South of England since it invaded our shores six years ago.
So with regret, the owners have set up the Beetle Busting Campaign, asking volunteers to lend their squashing powers in return for a prize. They don't like to declare war on the creature, but without action it can lay scores of slugs which will munch their way through the crop.
Visitors who come to watch the harvest may even be asked this year to lend a hand, especially if the bugs are spotted.
dailymail.co.uk
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