Yorkshire Lavender

Yorkshire Lavender Wins Gold at Yorkshire in Bloom 2011

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:28:53 GMT

Well they've done it again! Nigel Goodwill and his loyal, dedicated team have beaten stiff competition to be awarded category gold attractions winner in the 2011 Yorkshire in Bloom Awards held last night. And it is not hard to see why when you look at the wonderful gardens and landscape that has been so carefully cultivated and nurtured by Nigel over the years. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Vale of York, Yorkshire Lavender can most probably boast the best view in Yorkshire!

The judges comments clearly set Yorkshire Lavender out as the front runner in the prestigious and highly anticipated awards. Yorkshire in Bloom judges comments read, "Another great Yorkshire attraction well worthy of a visit. Well laid out 68 acres of grounds still being developed. Well sign posted, free attraction getting four sometimes five bus tours a day. Evening tours also organised. Talks to visitors throughout the day. Lavender walks, herbaceous borders, annual beds, mirror pond. Cricket field, Deer park and wonderful views of the Yorkshire countryside who could ask for more?"

Nigel Goodwill, owner of Yorkshire Lavender said, "We are a small family run business operating a very successful visitor attraction, Yorkshire Lavender and a flourishing online retail business, Lavenderworld which markets and sells lavender products right around the world. We are truly delighted with our win, which follows a long succession of accolades over recent years and we hope to further strengthen and build upon our achievements."

"We never stand still which is why Yorkshire Lavender offers visitors something new every year. With our ongoing ground development we introduced new themed gardens this year including the Stream Garden, created what I believe to be EnglandÃ¢ÂÂs only lavender Amphitheatre and doubled the size of our Gift Shop and Tea Room following a substantial extension to the building."

"I always say that we are so much more than just a lavender farm and this is true." This free entry attraction boasts wonderful gardens including a unique Lavender Maze, Mediterranean Dry Garden, Sensory Garden, Purple Patch Garden, The Wibbly Wobbly Way, Bog Garden, Natural Wild Flower Grassland Meadow, probably YorkshireÃ¢ÂÂs largest hillside Snakes and Ladders, Grass Pyramid, The Lynne Goodwill Memorial Garden, Deer Park and 'Spirit of Yorkshire' Sculpture Park.

Open seven days a week from 10am until 5pm until the end of October Yorkshire Lavender welcomes you to come and see for yourselves just why this attraction wins the hearts of all who make a trip there. Set in nearly 60 acres within the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Autumn colours currently displayed across the gardens are well worth a look as they provide a visual spectacle.

No trip would be complete without sampling the delights of EJ's licensed Tea Room. Providing a relaxing environment to enjoy sumptuous Yorkshire fayre, why not kick back and relax whilst you enjoy the spectacular panoramic views over the Vale of York. With a full waitress service serving morning coffees, lunches and afternoon cream teas, come and try for yourself the popular freshly baked lavender scones and famous homemade blueberry and lavender cheesecake.

Browse around the newly extended Gift Shop and enjoy the wide range of unique, quality purple and Lavender products that make the perfect 'something special' for friends and family. From Yorkshire LavenderÃ¢ÂÂs own unique range of products as well as leading brands, practical gifts, luxury household furnishings including bedding, cushions and towels, books, momentos and a range of specialist lavender foods including biscuits, conserves, honey and beer, there is certainly lots to choose from.

The Latest Addition to the Yorkshire Lavender Garden

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:09:20 GMT

The English Lavender Festival

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:38:47 GMT

We had a very successful lavender festival on the 9th / 10th July. Many people enjoyed the various cookery and aromatherapy demonstrations that we had on during the course of the weekend, whilst the children were entertained by face painters and balloon modellers and a bouncy castle. Pictures to follow.

Yorkshire Lavender wins Visitor Attraction of the Year

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:33:47 GMT

It's official, Yorkshire Lavender is one of Yorkshire's best loved free attractions as it scoops yet another accolade. Crowned winner of Visit York Tourism Award's 'Visitor Attraction of the Year' category, Yorkshire Lavender beat stiff competition to be formally recognised as the area's leading, most popular, friendly and welcoming attraction in the area.

Now in their 14th year Visit York's Tourism 'Oscars' recognise excellence in the city's tourism sector. Yorkshire Lavender were awarded this most recent accolade at a prestigious black tie ceremony held at York Racecourse last night (Wednesday 6th April 2011). Beating stiff competition, Nigel Goodwill, Founder of Yorkshire Lavender said:

"We are delighted to have been recognised as Visitor Attraction of the Year by Visit York. It has always been our aim to provide visitors with wonderful, inspiring and thoughtful gardens which they can relax and enjoy together with excellent food in the Tea Room and the ultimate collection of lavender products in our Gift Shop.

Last year we were recognised as one of the most inspiring gardens in the country to visit by Ideal Home Magazine and we were also in the top 5 for Specialist Gardens. Added to this we were included in Channel 4's best gardens and achieved Gold in the Yorkshire in Bloom awards for the fourth year in a row. It's a great start to receive such a prestigious award in 2011 and we look forward to even more recognition to come!"

Never standing still, Yorkshire Lavender has made a name for itself as a national treasure and one of the leading gardens in the region and this latest accolade pays testament to that. Much more than just a Lavender Farm, Yorkshire Lavender brings together wonderful, relaxing and inspiring gardens, gift shop and tea room.

Yorkshire Lavender develops year on year to keep growing its offer and has this winter just undergone a large extension to provide a much larger Tea Room providing a relaxing environment to enjoy sumptuous Yorkshire fayre and Gift Shop stocking the ultimate collection of quality lavender products. The new addition of The Stream Garden this year compliments The Bog Garden. Planted with varieties that flourish near moisture, the Stream Garden will give visitors ideas about the types of plants to choose which best suit their own soil conditions.

Gardening Mad!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:06:44 GMT

I didn't really come from a gardening background. I had two aunts who were keen gardeners, but my parents weren't bothered about plants just that the garden was neat.

My dad's great passion, however, was his lawn which was ritually mown and clipped, feeded and weeded, pricked and poked until it was an emerald show stopper! But how boring is grass when there is a whole world of colour in plants.

When I was first married we had a tiny postage stamp of a garden and it was here my interest first began, nurturing tiny seeds and bringing life to brown patches of soil.

And after our son was born I spent an afternoon planting wallflowers while he, I thought, was playing with his ball. No, he'd followed behind me and had dug up virtually every plant I'd put in!!!

My interest grew steadily and slowly until we moved into our present house where we have much more space to let imagination run riot. And boy, has it!

As I write this I look onto my front garden which is jammed with hardy perennials mainly, the backbone of my cottage garden. Just tiny mounds at the moment or tips poking through, but in a month or two - wow! The riot of colour in summer is what I love, so no formality, just plants anywhere and everywhere, all different sizes and shapes, when I run out of room I just ask my husband to dig up some more grass.

Of course the mainstay of a cottage garden is scent and what better than lavender and although at this time of year it can look a bit scraggy, just to brush the leaves with your fingertips and the scent of summer is released.

But I am getting a bit ahead of myself here, I set out to explain how gardening can slowly but surely creep up on you and immerse you in a whole new world.

Because it's all such a journey of wonder and amazement, even all the Latin names for the plants come easily, as if they are absorbed rather than learnt.

Its just such an all consuming hobby and now a job too, but each spring I never cease to be amazed by all the tiny green shoots pushing up through the soil and I stroll round the garden and the polytunnels at work 'oohing' and 'aaahing' like a kid in a sweet shop.

Written by Gill Broadbent - Gardener - Yorkshire Lavender

Tackling 'Iris' on the Wibbly Wobbly Way

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:11:02 GMT

I think it must be around five or six years ago when we planted 80 - 100 bare-rooted Iris Sibirica 'Persimmon' on the east border of the Wibbly Wobbly Way

This border is sheltered from the east by a large old native hawthorn hedge. The Iris is quite exposed from the south and west, panoramic views of the Vale of York as Yorkshire Lavender sits on top of the Howardian Hills. A view to die for - I will never tire of this view as each season and climate produces the colours and light which move and highlight areas of interest on the horizon.

Anyway - back to Iris!

I did notice, last year the Iris was not flowering as prolific as they should - on close inspection, the base of each plant had grown full circle and in the centre of each circle had become woody and tangled. So it was time to lift and divide each plant!

Oh dear! (I thought) this is going to be a job and a half! As the border is about 45 metres long and 3 metres wide with 7 mounds which are part of the Wibbly Wobbly WayÃ¢ÂÂs design.

We just could not put the job off another year, so today, Jane, Tracey and myself, armed with barrows, forks, spades, clippers, scissors, dressed in warm clothing and over-trousers etc with lots of enthusiasm and trepidation, started to tackle the immense job as this means to lift, weed (couch grass ugh!) divide each circle into 4-5 clumps and re-plant!

Luckily for us, the weather was kind but still pretty hard going (who wants to pay for work outs!) What we have done looks good!

Our friend, the Robin, was busying himself, an eye on the turned, fresh soil, looking for worms we exposed. Robin came so close to Tracey Ã¢ÂÂ he has a lot of nerve!

I did disturb a sleepy toad which made me jump (but not him) - so disguised amongst the earth. I covered him up carefully with soil.

We still have a long way to go on the Wibbly Wobbly Way but my it looks good.

Iris Sibirica (Sibirican Iris) - An adaptable group of Iris, suitable for planting near water or any rich soil, prefers full sun.

Iris Sibirica 'Persimmon' - broad blue/purple flowers, height 90cm flowers June/July, attractive knife shape leaves appear in Spring and stay structural until the Autumn. The leaves start to die back November/December. Very hardy.

Yorkshire Lavender have bare-rooted Iris Sibirica 'Persimmon' for sale and mail order out ÃÂ£1.95 each health root.

Chives

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:48:49 GMT

At last there is something moving in the garden - in fact quite a few things on close inspection.

This winter has been long and very cold, but it never ceases to amaze me, nature! She never fails us!

It takes something of an effort to force oneself out of the warm, cosy house and step into a cold, windblown, leaf sodden garden.

But we, at Yorkshire Lavender have been noticing lots of movement in our plot! The lavenders are still asleep - but we do grow and sell a lot more than just lavender.

My boss Nigel yesterday came into the polytunnel with three 4" long freshly grown shoots of chives (Scottish Giant) found popping up in the garden.

The taste was so strong and pungent!

Anyone can grow chives - you do not have to be a gardener, they are so reliable and pop up every year, one of the first herbs to appear after the cold winter.

I did add the three stems of chives into my egg sandwich for lunch - yummy!!

Chives can grow in pots outside or just in a border amongst flowers, shrubs or perennials or at the edge as an informal low hedge.

Let them flower in June/July (my granddad would be horrified at that!).

The Scottish Giant chives grow to 60cms high and look stunning and to add - an excellent nectar plant - a must to attract bees and butterflies into your garden.

Try eating the flower head too (after a good rinse under the tap). Add to salads, the leaves too.

But its that thing of picking new grown small shoots of any pungent herb as it is just popping through the cold, dank earth -

That is amazing - The start of a new Season.

Yorkshire Lavender Wins Again...

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:20:44 GMT

We are pleased to announce that we have won Gold in the Yorkshire in Bloom awards for the fourth year in a row. This is a fantastic achievement and I would like to thank all the staff for all their hard work - www.yorkshireinbloom.co.uk

Lavenderworld.co.uk now online!

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:55:31 GMT

Lavenderworld.co.uk - our new online shop is now live! Why not have a look and see what you think.

Top Gardens at Yorkshire Lavender

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:30:39 GMT

The gardens at Yorkshire Lavender have once again been added to a list of the top gardens in the UK. This time we have been listed as one of the 15 most inspiring gardens in the country to visit by Ideal Home Magazine. Not only that, we are also in the top 5 for Specialist Gardens. This is fantastic news and along with our inclusion in Channel 4's best gardens has made us very pleased indeed!

Coming Soon...

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:51:33 GMT

To complement Yorkshire Lavender, we will soon be launching a new company called Lavenderworld. This will be an online shop selling everything to do with lavender and its colour - purple. Looking for purple bed linen or maybe a purple spatula? Lavenderworld will have it all.

We grow the Unusual!

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:53:28 GMT

Our plant nursery ay Yorkshire Lavender grows a multitude of different plants alongisde the lavender. Some of these plants are firm favourites, over 30 varieties of mint, rosemary & thyme etc. However we also stock a large selection of unusual plants, many of which you will find hard to find elsewhere.

One such plant is Southernwood. Also known as lads love, this plant is a semi-evergreen hardy perennial which grows to around 1m (40in). With a rather unique scent the plant rarely will flower and instead sets seeds. Along with using seeds to propagate, you can also take softwood cuttings from the new growth in the Spring. Southernwood enjoys a light soil with some well-rotted organic material mixed in and placed in a sunny position.

It can be used in a number of ways including in the kitchen with salads (although use sparingly due to its strong flavour!). It is also used in France as a moth repellent. We have yet to try that one out as Lavender does a great job also!

It is one of the Yorkshire Lavender owners favourite plants, due to fact that he has been unable to kill it!

We will be bringing you more of some of our more unusual plants in the coming days.

Drying Lavender

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:50:15 GMT

It has been awhile since we last did a blog post. We have been very busy throughout the season so far with a number of events taking place at Yorkshire Lavender, but more to come about them soon. At the moment we are currently cutting the lavender for drying. The variety that we use is "Grosso". This is the lavender that is used extensively in Provence, France. "Grosso" is great for drying because it has long stems along with a long spike (the flower head).

We cut the lavender in the morning. This is when the oil is moving up through the stems upto the spikes thus capturing the fragrance. When you are cutting the lavender, you want to cut down to about half an inch above the hard wood, leaving some green growth. This should then encourage new growth from the bottom and stop the lavender plant from going woody.

The weather has been kind to us so far and we have cut hundreds of bunches, all of which have been hung upside down on string lines in some stables. A pantry or garage at home will do just the job. Drying lavender upside down helps it keep its shape and keeping it in a dark area helps to retain the colour.

Hopefully we will get a few more good days and get the rest cut. Below you can see Jamie & Matthew cutting the lavender into the bunches.

The English Lavender Festival

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:38:16 GMT

The English Lavender Festival will be held at Yorkshire Lavender on Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th July. This is a celebration of lavender and herbs and will include talks from herbalists and aromatherapists. Entry is Free.

More informaition can be found here.

Channel 4 - Top Gardens

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:09:07 GMT

We are very pleased to announce that Channel 4 have named Yorkshire Lavender as one of the top gardens to go and visit in the UK. This is great news and I would like to thank all the staff who have helped us to achieve this.

Here is the link to the page: Channel 4 Top Gardens