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Version:
shroplav v2.0
(Feb 04, 2007)
About Us
How we started-
This page charts our journey - updates are added as we go!
We have always loved lavender and especially the wonderful heady perfumed fields of Provence. Many family holidays were spent in the South of France dragging my poor husband and children round to look at ‘yet another’ lavender farm I had a dream that we could possibly create that incredible sight right here in Shropshire! I finally wrung permission from my husband Robin to plant a small trial plot using 200 plug plants in the spring of 2004. We had previously marked out two rectangular plots about 20ft by 12ft in September 2003 and weedkilled the grass. Because we had no field access at that time and it would have been impossible to get one of the huge modern tractors in, we at first thought of using a hired rotovator to turn over the soil. After an exhausting few hours of getting nowhere and finding that the blades just clogged up with thick couch grass roots, my husband declared that it was going to be impossible. A quick bit of thinking and an urgent phone call to our farmer neighbour established that there was a local ploughing enthusiast who would be delighted to come over with his vintage (small) tractor and plough and do what we needed immediately!
So the plots were ploughed and the next step was weed control. As we had no other help than what we could do ourselves, I could see a big problem looming with weeds overtaking my little plug plants. Again, another farmer neighbour suggested thick silage sheets. Brilliant idea! But just you try laying it down when there is the slightest gust of wind. The sheet billows up and you almost take off! Anyway, we managed and the little plants were duly planted in March 2004.
Then came the rabbits! They love little lavender plants and spent many happy hours nibbling and uprooting plants. Drastic action was taken with chicken wire and bamboo canes. Very flimsy but as a short term measure it saved my plants.
From this little experiment we found that lavender did indeed like us and we planted more!
We now in 2006 have over 2,000 plants of 7 different varieties selected for perfume, colour and even a special variety for cooking! We are looking forward to expanding our field and hope to plant a further 1,000 for next year.
2010
The two acre field that was planted in the spring of 2008 is coming on nicely! We made our own essential oil this year - how exciting to see the wonderful golden oil coming from our own flowers.
July 2010
July 2011
2011 was a very difficult year for our lavender. The cold winter did not affect it so much as the drought during the Spring which continued on through a very dull summer. Our crop was much reduced but, looking on the bright side, the dry conditions meant that our dried lavender was superb and the oil, although less of it, was excellent quality!
January 2012
We've ploughed a new area to plant up with a thousand or so more lavender plants! See our Facebook page for progress!