KENTISH LAVENDER AT CASTLE FARM
A beautiful plant with impressive medicinal properties, grown in a scenic landscape.
Castle Farm, with over 85 acres of lavender and lavandin, is one of the biggest lavender farms in the UK and is a spectacular part of the Darenth Valley landscape in the summer.
Planting began in 1998 and a commercial steam distillation unit was purpose-built in 2002 to process all the Kentish Lavender oils as well as Kentish Rosemary Oil. These are now supplied via a co-operative to toiletries manufacturers, perfumerers and pharmaceutical companies in the UK and abroad. The Hop Shop retains certain quanties for its own use as pure oils or for the formulation of toiletries (soaps, handcreams etc), natural sleep products, culinary essences
and aromatherapy oils.
We take special care to distinguish between lavender and lavandin in our products because they have distinctly different characteristics and uses. For instance, the relaxing lavender is used in our ‘Natural Sleep’ Sleepy Scent and Sleep Pillows whereas the envigorating lavandin is used in Room Sprays and candles and is recommended as an insect repellent. For more information, see the Lavender & Lavandin page.
The Hop Shop’s unique culinary essences of lavender and rosemary have provided home cooks and chefs with innovative recipe ideas and made lavender fashionable as a food flavouring - in recent years it has featured in numerous food magazines and on TV. Working closely with local food producers, The Hop Shop has developed an exciting range of lavender foods for the farm shop – from lavender ice cream, fudge, jams, cakes and biscuits to lavender salt and chutneys.
Bunches of dried Kentish lavender, bottles of oils and essences, teas and certain toiletries are available for Mail Order and trade purchase.
Lavender Festival
The colour and scent of the flowering season attracts huge number of visitors to the farm.
Lavender-themed events, including a festival with food tastings, tours, plant sales and aromatherapy massages are held in the flowering season between late June and late July. For more information see the Lavender Festival and the Events Diary.
Lavender Tours
Tours of the lavender fields and distillation unit can be pre-booked in season. For more information, see the Tours and talks page.
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