Weekly Pickings: 26th July

We’re still in the peak of our season at Hitchin Lavender and all of us are rather thankful that the hottest days of the week are now behind us.

Last Sunday, we received an record number of visitors to the farm and it was wonderful to see the place alive with activity. It also meant that there were queues in several places and we apologise to those of you who may have been kept waiting. We are getting immensely busy on the weekends at the moment, so our best recommendation for avoiding the crowds is to come on a weekday or a day where the weather isn’t at its best. The lavender still looks lovely under overcast skies or even rain!

Let’s get in to the update with important news about the sunflowers…

How is the lavender looking?

The lavender is still in full bloom so will be looking lovely this weekend, even with rain forecast for the local area. This is as good as it will look all year, so do get a visit in while it is at its peak.

The lavender will start to deteriorate gradually from now onwards, though it will still be looking fantastic for the next few weeks. Mid-August is when the lavender begins to fade in earnest, so visiting before then is best.

How are the wildflowers looking?

Unfortunately, we do not have a picture of the wildflowers for you this week as our photos were taken during the evening when they aren’t out!

They are not many left to see now, but they are at the most visible early in the day so arrive as close to 9:30am as you can to ensure your best view of them.

How are the sunflowers looking?

We are quite concerned about the progress of our sunflowers. Due to a combination of factors, including the intense heat of the last week, the lack of rain and crows pestering our crop earlier on in the year, we don’t think lots of sunflowers will come into bloom at Hitchin Lavender this year.

We are now predicting that some sunflowers will bloom around the beginning of September. We’re very disappointed that a full display is unlikely this year, but that is often the way of things in agriculture.

We’ll still keep you updated with how they are looking every week but do be aware that a spectacular sunflower display is looking less likely.

This week’s news and views…

There’s not much else to add this week. The lavender’s in full bloom and we are loving it. Thanks for reading and see you soon!