Meet the Team

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Meet the Team

Joey

Our most enthusiastic team member is always ready to lend a paw. Joey loves to be the centre of attention and is quickly becoming an attraction in his own right. If you see him be sure to say hello (or woof!).

Brendan

The man who started it all, for Brendan there’s never enough hours in the day.

Lorna

Steers Mayfield through the high seas of Lavender and the cool frosts of Spring.

Lisa

The wonderful Lisa manages both sites, keeping everyone motivated and organised. And always with a smile on her face!

Tracey

Tracey is our beekeeper, producing amazing lavender honey from very happy bees whose hives are on site, and running bee safaris during the summer months.

Adrian

Everyone needs an Adrian! This hardworker gets stuck into everything, from hand weeding the field to harvesting the bunches that you take home with you.

Trevor

The lavender plants are in safe hands with Trevor. He’s always busy potting, planting and pruning at the nursery, taking great care of all the plants!

Janie

Janie plays a crucial part of the team as our Customer Service Manager and IT Support and also brings a wealth of aromatherapy knowledge with her.

Carol

Carol is a key member of the gift shop and coffee bar team, always happy to help and a whiz at making the shop look beautiful with her abundance of creativity and flair!

Anne Marie

Anne Marie is a perfect addition to our nursery team as she’s a busy bee and loves being surrounded by nature.

Joe

Proving there’s no business like show business, Joe joins the Mayfield team as Artistic Director of the Lavender Theatre, coming soon!

Summer Team

Our seasonal farm team enjoying some rare downtime for a photo.

About Lavender

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Growing lavender and organic farming

A local tradition

Growing lavender and organic farming is at the heart of what we do, and Mayfield Lavender was proud to pioneer the revival of Lavender growing in the traditional home of Lavender in the UK. We started our project 2002 and opened to the public for the first time in 2006. We are very proud that we grow our lavender on one of the same fields where it was originally grown in the 18th and 19th centuries. 100 years ago, Banstead and surrounding areas were home to a thriving industry which supplied companies such as Yardley, Potter & Moore and others who were famous across the globe. Lavender was a premium product, but sadly, as suburbia encroached and lavender went out of fashion, the miles and miles of beautiful blue fields disappeared.

Until recently, that is! Mayfield Lavender has not only revived appreciation of lavender, but has brought organic farming to the tradition.

The traditional home of lavender farming in the UK was where Mayfield Lavender sits now, growing lavender and organic farming

Dedicated to organic farming

Organic farming is a huge commitment and its principles are an integral part of Mayfield Lavender’s values. All of our weed control is done by hand which is an enormous and never-ending job! As a result, our lavender and its oil are free of agricultural chemicals and their residues. Our field is also a magnet for many species of insect and bird and you will appreciate the biodiversity when you visit – be it butterflies, bumble bees and honey bees, pheasants or the family of kestrels that has made our field home for a number of years.

Certified by the Soil Association, Mayfield Lavender is committed to growing organic lavender and organic farming.

Varieties of lavender grown by us

The chalky soil and mild weather in the area are perfect for lavender growing. We grow two varieties of lavandula angustifolia (English lavender): Folgate and Maillette. We also grow an hybrid variety of lavandula x intermedia, called Grosso.

Lavandula Angustifolia (English lavender)

Lavandula angustifolia has narrow leaves and short stems with flower heads that are barrel-shaped. Folgate and Maillette are two of the highest quality varieties of English Lavender and are characterised by their amazing iridescent blue colour and sweet cosmetic scent.

Lavandula x Intermedia (Grosso)

We also grow Grosso which is a hybrid plant that is the result of a natural cross-pollination of Lavandula angustifolia and spike lavender. Grosso lavender has larger leaves, longer stems and larger flower heads that are pointed at the tip. Its stem carries three flower heads which consequently yield more oil. The oil produced from this plant is called lavandin and it has a stronger camphoracious fragrance profile.

Varieties of lavender grown at organic Mayfield Lavender Farm

Sustainability

Here at Mayfield, we recognise that it is important to play our role in making the world a better place, and that it is a critical time for our planet. Here are some of the things that we are doing, and hope that you will support us when visiting our Farm and Nursery:

We have planted native wildflowers, as we want to encourage the bees and butterflies to see our beautiful farm too!
We have 20 beehives which produces our delicious pure organic honey
Our Lavender Farm is free from pesticides and harsh chemicals
We are limiting the use of plastic wherever possible, replacing plastic with glass
Our food packaging is compostable and recyclable
We are starting to replace our plastic flower pots with 100% recyclable pots
We have packaged our fragrant, organic products using sustainable materials wherever possible
Our diffusers, room sprays, pillow mists and candles all come packaged in paper and glass, making them completely recyclable.
Our Candles are made from soy wax, which is a much more sustainable option compared to paraffin wax (which is derived from petroleum)
Our Lavender Soaps are packaged in paper and made from coconut oil and palm oil from sustainable and certified plantations
Our products are also vegan (apart from beeswax) and cruelty-free. Check out some of them here
We grow as much on our Farm as possible – our Lovely Mayfield Apple juice is made from the apples in our orchard and Brendan’s Very Tasty Lavender & Plum Jam is also made from the plums that we grow ourselves
Not only that but we have also planted 2000 trees across our two sites

Sustainability at Mayfield Lavender Farm

Visit Mayfield Gift Shop and Glasshouse Cafe

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Mayfield Lavender Gift Shop & Glasshouse Cafe

Address

139 Reigate Rd (near Driftbridge Audi Garage), Epsom KT17 3DW

Directions

By car you can use Google Maps or a Satnav to get to the postcode KT17 3DW (139 Reigate Road)

By public transport you can take a train from London Victoria to Epsom and then catch a 166 bus from the clocktower in Epsom. Get off at the Driftbridge stop and we are 100m from the railway bridge.

Opening Times

Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. And on Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Gift Shop and Glasshouse Cafe

Our second location is our Gift Shop and Glasshouse Cafe based in Epsom which is open all year round.

The site is based on 12 acres of land which includes lavender, an orchard, and also the home of a 250 open air theatre. Details here

From here we sell our full range of our lavender products including our organic lavender oils, home fragrance and toiletry ranges as well as delicious lavender foods, plus our lavender plant varieties and garden accessories. We also have lots of non lavender goods too!

Coffee and catch up

From family and friends to dog walkers and cyclists, The Glasshouse Cafe is a great place to meet for a coffee and catch up and of course free and easy parking!

Our menu is available 7 days a week from Mondays to Saturdays (09:30 to 15:30) and on Sundays and Bank Holidays (10:00 to 15:30). We offer Croissants, Sausage, Egg or Bacon filled baps, Sausage or Vegan Rolls, hot or cold Sandwiches, Paninis, Salads and a delicious selection of cakes and sweet treats and of course our signature Lavender Cream Tea. We also have a great choice of teas and coffees, soft drinks, fruit juices, beers and wines.

Unique gifts and ideas

We sell our high quality range of lavender toiletries made with the beautiful organic lavender oil from our farm. We also sell our full range of traditional gifts such as lavender sachets, bunches of lavender and lavender wreaths. Our delicious lavender food includes lavender teas, lavender all-butter shortbread and crumbly lavender fudge. We also sell unusual items for home and garden – Come and check us out or you can order from our online shop.

Plants and advice

We can help you choose the right lavender for your garden and offer advice and tips on how to keep it healthy and looking its best, year after year. Our plants are grown on site in our glasshouses and expert advice is always to hand! As well as a wide choice of Lavender varieties, we also sell a selection of your favourite garden perennials plus a range of decorative garden ornaments and furniture.

Orchard

Our beautiful orchard is situated behind our gift shop and is a mini oasis of serenity. It has over 500 established plum and apple trees. We manage our orchard carefully to protect the welfare of the trees and the many insects and birds that visit them. The apples we produce are used to make our Mayfield Apple Juice and our unique ‘BrendyBoy Jump Up Lavender Cider’, as well as lavender jelly and lavender chutney.

Christmas Shop

We love to get into the Christmas spirit each year and deck our shop with every kind of decoration, ornament and gift! Our Christmas Shop opens in November and sells a range of lovely and unique gifts and hampers including our toiletries made with our organic lavender oil, culinary treats and beautiful lavender wreaths. And as Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a tree, we sell top-quality, non-drop Nordman trees with free local delivery. Come and visit our Christmas Tree forest and select the tree that’s right for you and your home!

Professional Photography

We encourage casual and fun family photos and we do not make a charge for this. If you wish to visit our farm for the purposes of wedding photography, model or landscape photography, library photography or portrait photography or any other commercial photography then you will be required to register at our shop and pay a small fee before you commence.

Details are available on this link: Professional Photographers Registration (Terms and conditions apply)

If you would like to talk to us about commercial filming or other use please email customerservice@mayfieldlavender.com or call us on 07503 877 707.

Visit Mayfield Lavender Farm & Fields

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Mayfield Lavender Farm & Fields

Now closed until June 2024

Address

Mayfield Lavender Farm, 1 Carshalton Rd, Banstead SM7 3JA

Directions

There are a number of options for how to get to us:

By Car: You can plan your journey using Google Maps or a Satnav using the SM7 3JA postcode.

By Public transport: There are several options to get to us easily.

Option A:

Train from London Victoria to West Croydon and then take the 166 bus to our gate (this way can get busy when it is peak season).

Option B:

Train from London Victoria to Sutton and take the S1 bus to Banstead (Woolpack stop) and then the 166 gate to our gate (slightly faster route)

Option C:

Train from London Victoria to Purley Station, cross the road to the large Tesco and take the 166 bus to Oaks Park from the front of the store (top tip from a regular customer)

Option D:

Fastest route – Take a train from London Victoria to Sutton or Cheam and take a cab/minicab to our farm

Our Farm

Mayfield Lavender Farm is a 25-acre lavender farm with café and shop located in Banstead (Woodmansterne), Surrey – approximately 15 miles from Central London. Our farm is a popular visitor attraction throughout summer where you can wander through a sea of beautiful organic lavender. The lavender normally starts to bloom towards the middle to end of June and the peak time is July and August. During the peak of the season it can get very busy on weekends so we recommend that you plan a weekday visit if possible. Please remember that we do not permit picnics anywhere on our farm.

Notice about Bees

We have many honey bees on our farm as they love lavender. These bees are busy collecting nectar to make honey and are not aggressive. Honey bees do not want to sting because if they do sting someone then they die.

However sometimes a bee may become entangled in clothes or hair and become panicked. In this case it may sting in self defence. We advise people that are concerned about the potential to be stung not to wear floaty clothes in which a bee may become entangled and if possible to also avoid exposed bare skin when walking through the lavender. Some people are allergic to bee stings and may have a reaction. In this rare case it will be necessary to phone for an ambulance..

If you are concerned or think you may be allergic to bee stings than you should seek medical advice before visiting our farm so that you can independently assess the risk.

Entry & Opening Times

The farm is now closed for the 2023 flowering season and will reopen in June 2024.

In the meantime don’t forget you can find all of our lovely lavender products at our gift shop and nursery in Epsom

Parking

During opening season the entrance fee includes parking. Our car park has limited capacity. We try to accommodate as many cars as possible but once the car park is full we must (for safety reasons) restrict entry. On days when our car park is full we direct cars to a friendly local sports club (if they have space available). They operate independently so they may make a charge for the use of their parking facility. 5.30pm is the last entry time for cars to our farm and the gate to our farm is locked at 7pm so all cars must have been removed by then to avoid being locked in.

Coaches

We are unable to permit coaches to enter our farm as there is no space to turn once inside. Coaches: Please contact us in advance and we can advise if alternative parking is available locally. We can be reached by email customerservice@mayfieldlavender.com. This depends on the availability of a local Rugby Club who may not have availability. If available they make an independent charge that we do not influence.

Café & Shop

When Mayfield Lavender Farm is open you can enjoy a delicious, fresh lunch or snack at our relaxed, al fresco café with picnic tables. We have lavender cream teas and Afternoon Tea hampers available. We are licensed to sell a range of alcoholic drinks including our unique lavender cider! Before you leave, don’t forget to visit our shop to buy one of our lavender plants for your garden, or simply treat yourself to our lavender products including toiletries, culinary treats or a beautiful bunch of fresh lavender.

Please remember that we do not permit food or picnics to be brought onto our farm.

Tractor Rides & Tours

Take a tour with a difference! A tractor ride around Mayfield Lavender Farm on our lavender locomotive Looby Loo is a wonderful and effortless way to experience the undulating purple expanse of our gorgeous organic lavender during opening season. At the height of the season, you will be able to see the three different varieties of lavender grown by us all in bloom, along with our very happy bees and butterflies. Tractor rides cost £2.50 per person (Babes in arms are free) and there is no need to book as tickets can be bought from our shop or cafe. We generally start from 10.30am and a circuit of the farm takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The tractor runs throughout the day if there is demand.

Looby Loo tractor ride at Mayfield Lavender Farm

Disabled Parking / Accessibility / Toilet

We welcome many guests in wheelchairs and mobility vehicles but wish to point out that not all of the field is level ground. The rows between the lavender can be accessed but are not very wide.

We offer disabled parking which is adjacent to our Cafe and Shop. We also hire specific disabled portable toilet facilities. We are on Metropolitan Greenbelt land so we are not permitted to build a permanent toilet building. The portable toilets are a pragmatic solution and are cleaned frequently throughout each day.

The shop and cafe are next to the lavender so you can enjoy a lovely view over the farm. There are no steps to negotiate but the surface of our car park is a coarse covering of stone so care should be taken if walking. You can also take one of our popular tractor rides and experience the farm at a leisurely pace. For more information on visiting us please see our FAQs page.

Disabled access at Mayfield Lavender Farm

Photography & Video Competition

Each year we run a fun photography competition for visitors to our farm. Entry is primarily for fun but to make it interesting we offer a prize of £200 cash for the entry we like the most. We receive lots of entries each year so to see what it takes to be a contender you can take a look at the previous winners and runners up in our photo competition galleries. Remember that while we offer a prize for the winner, we run the competitions for fun so we hope you enter in the same spirit!