Our seventh ‘Pick your own Lavender’ is over for another year. The time comes around so fast and then it is gone in the blink of an eye. We were open three weekends this year, instead of the usual two, due to summer arriving early, very hot temperatures and occasional downpours. The heat forced the lavender to burst into flower three weeks earlier than any other year.
Despite the short notice to pick lavender, visitors streamed in on the first weekend and they kept on coming, hour after hour and all day Sunday too. Stuart and I were rushed off our feet and very happy to have people to help us with the hoards. We had huge families, small families, couples, friends, little ones running up the lavender and squealing, as they do. The paddock was absolutely bursting at the seams with cars, although very nicely and orderly parked, I must say. Although our paddock is a bit worse for wear.
People picnicked, frolicked in the lavender, took photos of each other and of the many bumbles and honeybees that were busy working. Which reminds me, email your photos to lavenderabbey@xtra.co.nz before 31 January for the “win a lavender gift box” competition. Drawn early to mid Feb and I will contact the winner via Facebook.
The last few years of “Pick your own Lavender” has gone from strength to strength, with this year being incredible and we are still pinching ourselves as to how many people attended. We appreciate all the support of our followers and we are happy to share the experience with you, our little Provence.
We ‘may’ have a big surprise for next year’s visitors – Watch this space J
Happy 2018 to you all.
Jan & Stu