The original Site –
Before Wolds Way Lavender was created , the property was a disused Piggery with just under 12 acres of land, which was purchased from the previous owner in the winter of 2001 / 2002. The buildings were erected from 1956 onwards and were used intensively for the next twenty five years by the previous owners. The buildings and land were then sub-let and sub, sub-let with little care or maintenance. They fell into a severe state of disrepair, having suffered many years of neglect. Rabbits were running rife on the land with warrens stretching for many metres. The sandy conditions made for easy digging and with no control over the years their numbers had reached epic proportions.
Planning and Tidying
Developing the product of Wolds Way Lavender did not take place overnight. Even the name changed! Various designs, layouts and schemes were drawn and redrawn. There were many steps taken getting to where we are today! These are three of the drawings, showing initial ideas.
The next stage was to start the big tidy up. A lot of time was spent simply going round the land collecting all the rubbish that had accumulated over the years. This resulted in a massive bonfire!
A new fence over 200m long had to be erected the full length of the north side of the site. The hedge rows on the other sides had to be cut back, and the rubbish removed to make way for new hedging to be planted.
The woodland area was then planted with eight species of native trees. Friends and family were called upon to complete the massive planting task before the spring of 2002. Over 7,000 trees have been planted on site, hopefully for the benefit of future generations and local wildlife.
Next came the serious landscaping. Years of rubbish had hidden the previous roads and hard standings. Overnight the site was transformed. The entrance was straightened and widened, the car parking area was formed along with the main access paths to the Lavender.
Planting & Propogating
In order to produce the volume of Lavender and herb plants that we require each year, it was decided early on that a polytunnel would be necessary. We propagate our plants from cuttings from our master plants. The cuttings are placed on heated sand beds with overhead misting. The Lavender and herb cuttings, when rooted, are “potted up” and spend a further time in the polytunnel before being moved over into the hardening off area.
There was a lot of planting of Lavender to be done in both the fields and the raised bed areas
Lavender Fields and Raised Beds
A decision was made to cover the beds from which we propagate the main of our Lavender stock, with weed matting. It was a time consuming job but overall it has saved many hours of weeding. The scene you see today as you walk round is far removed from the early days when we first planted the beds. The Lavender plants thrive on the poor sandy soil. There is nearly 10 metres (30 feet) depth of pure sand under the site.
The plan was to create a Collection of Lavender that people can easily walk round. We have over sixty different types of Lavender on display. The beds are raised to enable easy access for all and are accessible to wheelchair users. We strived to obtain our initial plants from reputable sources to ensure that they are true to type and not grown from seed. The beds form our source for propagating further plants.
Before and After………..
Vision allowed us to see beyond the derelict piggery. The building was structurally sound and once the debris was removed the process of creating the Wolds Way Lavender Farm Shop and Tearoom could begin. A vast team effort with friends and family working late into the night, ensured we were ready for our Grand opening on 1st June 2003.
A major task was the provision of toilets for the visitor (including Disabled toilets). The site has no mains drainage so a packaged water treatment plant was required. The toilets are within the original stalls of the Piggeries making use of what is probably the least practical of all the original buildings.
Harvest, distllation and the WWL Express!
The Lavender Harvest takes place by hand in late July (weather permitting) and takes around four weeks to complete.
The Distillery building was started at the end of the 2004 season and was completed in March for the start of the 2005 season. The previous building, a pig weaning unit,was completely dismantled except for the outside walls.
From the first dreams of starting the Lavender Farm the intention was to distill our own plants to extract the essential lavender oil. The Still here at Wolds Way Lavender is unique, the only one in the country that is fired by wood. It was installed by ourselves in July 2005.
The idea to use a narrow gauge railway was inspired by our Country’s industrial past and the ease at which the Lavender and Wood could be moved in and out of the Distillery. The track and pointwork were all built here on site and laid ready for the 2005 harvest. The use of the railway for carrying passengers was secondary, however the views from the train give another perspective to the Lavender fields.
The two ponds here at Wolds Way Lavender have been made to provide the cooling water to the Distillery. The rain water is collected from the roof of the building to save wastage. We spent the winter of 2004 hand building every piece to ensure a natural looking end result!
Our own products!
The Pure Yorkshire Lavender Essential Oil is extracted from the plants here at Wolds Way Lavender using a traditional method of Steam Distillation. The oil is then used in our own Unique Range of Cosmetic Products. Why not try out the products for yourself? Testers are available in the Gift Shop. All the products are available here at Wolds Way Lavender, or by mail order or online.
Visit our tearoom for a range of delicious snacks, including our very own homemade Lavender Scones – delicious with jam and cream. Hot meals and drinks available. Try our Lavender ice-cream to tantalise your taste buds.
Choose from a wide variety of plants in our Plant Sales Area, subject to availability and time of year. Please ask if you require assistance.
