Sustainability Action Plan

Case studies

Local Lavender

Since 1996, BioRegional have worked with HMP Downview, Sutton council and Yardley to revive south London's historic lavender fields. In 2003, the project was handed over to local community group Carshalton Lavender. The three acres of lavender at Stanley Park Allotments have matured and hundreds of people, mostly locals, turn up every year to "pick their own" at the annual community harvesting event. The flower heads left after the picking are harvested using BioRegional's innovative harvester built by Cranfield University and made into oil. Around 100 years ago, blue fields of lavender could be seen all over Wallington, Carshalton, Waddon and Sutton. Lavender was used for scented bags, floor and furniture washes, as a disinfectant, to preserve linen from moths, and for remedies. Lavender was also used in recipes such as lavender jam, honey and custard.

Lavender is part of Sutton's heritage and since the revival:

- The local supermarket has erected a lavender sculpture
- The Christmas lights have a lavender theme
- A local pub has been rebranded as "John Jackson Lavender Harvester".

More information on BioRegional's website.

Photo: Carshalton Lavender win the Observer's Conservation Project of the year award.

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