薰衣草田，英国牛津 Lavender fields at lavender farm, Oxfordshire, England (© Peter Greenway/EyeEm/Getty Images)

薰衣草田，英国牛津 Lavender fields at lavender farm, Oxfordshire, England (© Peter Greenway/EyeEm/Getty Images)

The scent of summer

These fragrant purple blooms are a quintessential summer sight - and not just in Provence. Once a favourite in Victorian gardens, homegrown lavender production has seen a renaissance in recent decades, with many small-scale producers growing it and producing lavender-based goods, from creams and oils to cider and chocolate. There are more than 40 different types but Lavendula angustifolia, also known as English lavender, is particularly popular here, especially with bees.

Lavender, which comes from the same family as mint, has been long been a popular plant, associated with cleanliness (the name is thought to have its roots in the Latin verb ‘lavare’ to wash), as well as relaxation and healing. The Ancient Egyptians are thought to have used it in the mummification process, while the Ancient Greeks used it for minor ailments and the Romans used it to clean their clothes. It’s not native to the UK and it is not certain when exactly it arrived on these shores, but it has been popular here for centuries. Lavender is said to have been Queen Elizabeth I’s favourite perfume, posies of lavender were carried and scattered before her to fend off bad smells. More than 200 years later, it was still a royal favourite - Queen Victoria is said to have had a taste for lavender jelly served with roast mutton.

夏日的气息

这些芳香的紫色花朵是典型的夏季景观-不仅仅是在普罗旺斯。曾经是维多利亚花园的宠儿，近几十年来，本土薰衣草生产出现了复兴，许多小规模生产商种植薰衣草，生产薰衣草制品，从奶油和油到苹果酒和巧克力。有40多种不同的类型，但薰衣草，也被称为英国薰衣草，在这里特别受欢迎，尤其是蜜蜂。

薰衣草与薄荷来自同一科，长期以来一直是一种受欢迎的植物，它与清洁（这个名字被认为来源于拉丁语动词“lavare”to wash）以及放松和疗伤有关。古埃及人被认为是在木乃伊制作过程中使用的，而古希腊人用它来治疗小病，罗马人用它来清洗衣服。它不是英国本土的，也不确定它何时到达这些海岸，但它在这里流行了几个世纪。据说，薰衣草是伊丽莎白女王一世最喜欢的香水，一束束薰衣草被带到她面前，撒在她面前，以抵御难闻的气味。200多年后，它仍然是皇室的最爱——据说维多利亚女王尝过薰衣草果冻配烤羊肉。