Provence naturellement? Non. Kent, 15 mins from the M25!
I had a request from a lovely couple for wedding flowers to incorporate an English country garden style, featuring lots of roses (him) with an Antipodeon flavour (her) in shades of pink & cream with blue hues. Eucalyptus was my 1st thought, an excuse to visit the wonderful Hop Shop in Shoreham, Kent, to gather armfuls of fragrant local grown Lavender was my close run second.
If, like myself, you’re happy to risk the need to run for the anti-histamine lest you disturb a busy bee, and are unable to resist the temptation to plunge your hands into dense, aromatic, lavender patches to release their perfume, every time you happen upon one, this place is surely our Nirvana.
Wind through some country lanes, through the pretty village of Eynsford, cross over a stretch of the babbling river Darent, past some beautiful doe eyed cows and you arrive at last at this perfect purple oasis. The air, heavily scented with a heavenly aroma & the humm from a million buzzing bees is enough to lift the most woeful of souls & transport them to a deliriously happy state.
Wedding bouquets complete, I had a few stems that I had put to one side, what to do what to do? I was still feeling a bit whimsical, caught up with the romance of long hot summers, dream come true nuptials & inspired by the lavender lemon drizzle cake on offer at the Hop Shop, I had a fancy for a proper old fashioned English pud.
Lemon posset with a lemony curd top & a pop of lemon popping candy (probably considered to be a bit ‘done’ in certain culinary circles, but it still makes me giggle) suitably escorted by some lovely buttery lavender studded shortbread.