At first glance, you may think these photos were taken in Provence, France at their world famous lavender fields. You may be surprised to find out that they're actually photographs of a large lavender field in Somerset, England, a place where, if you're lucky (or skilled), you can capture a once-in-a-lifetime shot.
The Somerset Lavender Farm is home to more than 50,000 lavender plants, rows of vibrant bushes spread amongst a 5-acre field. If you come at just the right time (usually June or July), you may be able to capture a photo that looks very similar to an Impressionist painting.
Photographer Antony Spencer, who shot the photo immediately above and below told The Daily Mail, "You have a window of just ten days each year when the lavender is at its best before it's harvested so it's a matter of getting up early and getting down to the field before sunrise. The light was absolutely phenomenal and made the lavender look beautiful. As a landscape photographer you only get those kind of moments once a year."
Especially love the photos of the lavender fields set against dramatic skies.
As an herb, lavender has been in documented use for over 2,500 years. In ancient times lavender was used for mummification and perfume by the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and peoples of Arabia.
Romans used lavender oils for bathing, cooking, and scenting the air, and they most likely gave it the Latin root from which we derive the modern name (either lavare--to wash, or livendula--livid or bluish). The flower's soothing "tonic" qualities, the insect-repellent effects of the strong scent, and the use of the dried plant in smoking mixtures also added to the value of the herb in ancient times..
Lavender is mentioned often in the Bible, not by the name lavender but rather by the name used at that time--spikenard (from the Greek name for lavender, naardus, after the Syrian city Naarda). In the gospel of Luke the writer reports: "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment."
Another ancient Christian reference to lavender involves how it got its scent. The plant is believed to have been taken from the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. However, the powerful perfume came later. According to legend, the clothing of baby Jesus bestowed the scent when Mother Mary laid them upon a bush to dry. This may explain why the plant is also regarded as a holy safeguard against evil. In many Christian houses, a cross of lavender was hung over the door for protection.
Perhaps first domesticated by the Arabians, lavender spread across Europe from Greece. Around 600 BC, lavender may have come from the Greek Hyeres Islands into France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy and England. The 'English' lavender varieties were not locally developed in England but rather introduced in the 1600s, right around the time the first lavender plants were making their way to the Americas. In Medieval and Renaissance Europe, the washing women were known as "lavenders" and they used lavender to scent drawers and dried the laundry on lavender bushes. Also during this time, lavender was grown in so-called "infirmarian's gardens" in monasteries, along with many other medicinal herbs. According to the German nun Hildegard of Bingen, who lived from 1098-1179, lavender "water,"--a decoction of vodka, gin, or brandy mixed with lavender--is great for migraine headaches.
Its holy reputation may have increased during the Great Plague in London in the 17th century, when it was suggested that a bunch of lavender fastened to each wrist would protect the wearer against the deadly disease. Furthermore, grave-robbers were known to wash in Four Thieves Vinegar, which contained lavender, after doing their dirty work; they rarely contracted the disease. In 16th-century France, lavender was also used to resist infection. For example, glove-makers, who were licensed to perfume their wares with lavender, escaped cholera at that time.
European royal history is also filled with stories of lavender use. Charles VI of France demanded lavender-filled pillows wherever he went. Queen Elizabeth I of England required lavender conserve at the royal table. She also wanted fresh lavender flowers available every day of the year, a daunting task for a gardener if you consider the climate of England. Louis XIV also loved lavender and bathed in water scented with it. Queen Victoria used a lavender deodorant, and both Elizabeth I and II used products from the famous lavender company, Yardley and Co. of London.
Lavender is a unique fragrance produced by the combination of 180 different constituents and is widely used in the perfume industry to add a top or middle note to commercial products. In the world of professional sniffers, it has a green, hay-like sweetness and gives "fruity aspects" to perfumes and other scented products. Lavender is widely grown in England for commercial use, and the Provence region of France is renowned as a world leader in growing and producing lavender.
In the United States and Canada, the Shakers were the first to grow lavender commercially. A strict sect of English Quakers who most likely had little use for lavender's amorous qualities (they were celibate), they developed herb farms upon their arrival from England. They produced their own herbs and medicines and sold them to the "outside world." Later a New York advertising firm picked them up and sold the simple products worldwide.
As an herbal medicine, lavender is widely utilized. For soothing, relaxing qualities few herbs can be claimed as effective. Constituents of the oils found in lavender can treat hyperactiviety; insomnia; flatulence; bacteria, fungus, and microbial activity on gums, airborne molds, and (in mixture with pine, thyme, mint, rosemary, clove, and cinnamon oils) Staphyloccus bacteria. Lavender may even be useful against impotence. In a study of men, the scent of pumpkin and lavender rated as the scent found most arousing.
Lavender and love are an ancient match. In an apocryphal book of the Bible, we again hear of the use of lavender. Here the story tells us that Judith anointed herself with perfumes including lavender before seducing Holofernes, the enemy commander. This allowed her to murder him and thus save the City of Jerusalem. The overwhelming power of this seductive scent was also used by Cleopatra to seduce Julius Cesaer and Mark Antony. The Queen of Sheba offered spikenard with frankincense and myrrh to King Solomon
Lavender is one of 39 flowering plants that form a part of the mint family. Its flowers are very scented and are a range of mauve and violet colours. It grows natively in the mediterranean regions such as Provence in France, the tropics of Africa and south east India. Its cultivation both on a large scale and as a garden plant has meant that different varieties and locations are now widespread. It now grows in places as far spread as Russia, Canada and Tasmania. For the most part it grows well in dry, sunny and limestone soils such as those found in the Baronnies.
Its use for medicinal and herbal purposes dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks. The Romans used it in their baths to scent the water. In Provence, Lavender has been used since the middle ages to make perfumes and medicines, but it was not until the 19th century that the plant was cultivated on a large scale creating the fields that we now see walking through Provence. The French production reached its height in the mid 20th century with the installation of perfume manufacturers in southern Provence.
There are four main types of Lavender all of which can be seen in Provence, France on our guided walking tours to a greater or lesser extent.
Lavandula angustifolia or sometimes called true lavender is the best for making essential oils. This variety in its wild state grows particularly well in Provence on sunny mountain slopes at between 500m and 1700m in altitude and naturally flowers early (April - May). The plant is large and can grow as tall as 1m. Only oils from this variety of lavender benefit from a label or AOC and can be called essential oils from Lavender of Haute Provence. Over a total of 4 French departments there are 4000 hectares cultivated with this variety.
The Lavandula latifolia or lavender aspic, flowers much later and is far less perfumed. This naturally grows in the southern Provence on lower altitudes. It can be differentiated from the true lavender as the flowers grow on the end of long stems.
Lavandula intermedia is a hybrid and is the most commonly grown lavender in French Provence with about 17,000 hectares. It is less perfumed but has a higher production of oils than the true lavender.
Lavandula stoechas is the most common in terms of its geographic coverage as it is found almost everywhere. One of the main reasons is that it will also grow on schist based soils such as flints.
Harvesting of the flowers takes place during the flowering from the end of June to August. Cutting is done by machines with the exception of flowers used for ornamental purposes which are cut by hand. Our French guided walks in mid to late June should see the lavender plants coming into flower.
Uses of Lavender from Provence include essential oils, medicines, perfume and cooking. Essential oils: After the the lavender has been dried for a day or two, the lavender used for essential oils is distilled with water vapour for a short time of only 45 minutes. Oils produced from mountain zones are of better quality but the yields are much lower. These essential oils are said to have certain beneficial qualities including as an antiseptic, disinfectant, anti-bacterial and calming agent.
Even if we haven't been to Provence or France, most of us have some dried lavender somewhere in our house to perfume rooms or cupboards. Dried lavender is very resistant and may have been used in sachets to perfume clothes from as far back as the the middle ages. Small scale family run distilleries of lavender have gradually disappeared during the 20th century. The largest consumer of lavender these days is the perfume industry in soaps, detergents and wipes. In perfumes it is more commonly used in men's aftershave.
Lavender flowers from Provence also yield abundant nectar from which bees make a high-quality honey. Lavender flavours baked goods and desserts (it pairs especially well with chocolate), as well as being used to make "lavender sugar". Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal tea, adding a fresh, relaxing scent and flavour.
Though it has many other traditional uses in southern France, lavender is not used in traditional southern French cooking. In the 1970s, a herb blend called herbes de Provence and usually including lavender was invented by spice wholesalers, and lavender has more recently become popular in cooking. On our guided walking holiday in Provence, you'll have plenty of chance to sample the local products and cuisine. On one of our day walks we'll also visit a lavender producer to find out more about this typically Provence plant.

Large areas of northwestern China are sparsely populated, and contain stunning scenic locations unheard of by outsiders. On this trip, the highlight is the Danxia Landform of Zhangye—magnificently multi-coloured mountains, valleys, hills, and cliffs that ripple away towards the horizon.
While facilities can be rustic and flights expensive, visits to these remote, off-the-beaten track areas are very worthwhile. You’ll be going somewhere comparatively few people have gone before, and you’ll see things in a more natural state, before the inevitable development for tourism.
The name of the province we’re visiting, Gansu, was first used in the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), after two areas belonging to previous dynasties were combined. One area was previously named Gan; the other, Su.
The Silk Road passed through Gansu, following a narrow route between the Tibetan Plateau (too cold!) and the Gobi Desert (too hot!) that’s known as the Hexi Corridor.
Zhangye was one of the stops on the Silk Road, and Jiayuguan was at the westernmost end of the area controlled by the Ming Dynasty. While the main focus of this trip is the Danxia Landform, the Buddhist sites and relics left by Silk Road travelers, and the Great Wall in the area of Jiayuguan, are also well worth a look.
China boasts many different kinds of unique and beautiful landscapes, from towering limestone karst mountains to expansive grasslands that reach as far as the eye can see. Formed from red sandstone beds by combination of erosion and uplift, the Danxia Landforms are also spectacular sights. Some Danxia Landforms have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Danxia landforms are sandstone formations, known for being very dramatic and colorful. The landform near Zhangye City has colourful and magnificent cliffs in a hilly and mountainous land. Danxia refers to isolated peaks, steep pillars, ravines, mountains and hills that have formed after a long period of erosion by wind and running water. Unlike limestone karst, Danxia landforms are composed of red sandstone, which gives them their characteristic crimson colouration. Several Danxia Landforms are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites because of their profound natural and aesthetic value. The area we’re visiting boasts majestic, multi-coloured slopes that give you the sensation of walking into a painting.
The Zhangye Danxia Landform is characterized by magnificently multi-coloured sandstone hills and mountains that ripple away towards the horizon. The area we’ll be visiting was recently used as the backdrop for the Zhang Yimou film, “A Woman, A Gun, and A Noodleshop.”

Han Dynasty and Ming Dynasty relics near Jiayuguan

Some of the earliest Great Wall was built during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), including a line of rammed earth ramparts that stretched out into the desert. It’s said that these fortifications, and the soldiers stationed on them to repel attacks from nomadic tribes and bandits, played a large role in making the Silk Road safer for travelers and increasing the volume of trade along the way..
Some Han Dynasty sites remain, and on this trip we’ll visit ancient tombs to see frescoes that are illustrative of the customs and dress of the times, and we’ll take a look at a section of the Han Dynasty wall known as the Hanging Wall, said to have been restored using the Han Dynasty construction techniques.
The fortress at Jiayuguan marked the western end of the main line of Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD) Great Wall, but some watch towers were built further to the west. Near a deep canyon, we’ll find ‘The First Beacon Tower’, built to give early warning, via smoke signal, of approaching attackers.

We are living in times when Photoshop is capable of practically anything, but this time it has nothing to do with this article! Zhangye Danxia Landform in China is just one of those places that are hard to believe really exist. Located in Gansu province, a naturally formed landscape astonishes its visitors with the burst of colors – its streaks of yellow, orange and red to emerald, green and blue make it hard to believe it’s all real. The vast area of intensely colored valleys, waterfalls and natural pillars looks surreal in the pictures, reminding more of a impressionistic painting than a photograph.

Formed from red-colored sandstones and conglomerates, Danxia landform is a unique example of petrographic geomorphology. The name actually refers to various different landscapes in southeast and southwest China, that formed due to special nature’s conditions, such as water flow fissures, erosion, oxidization and tectonic plate movements. The formation process of Zhangye geopark took over 24 million years, dating back to the Cretaceous age.

Today the Danxia landform is a huge tourist attraction, with six of its landscapes inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2010. If you plan on visiting it, hope for the rain, as the vibrant hills glow even brighter after rainfallDanxia Landform' is a broad term used to describe geological formations composed of limestone and conglomerate that have been molded through a series of specific, complex geological processes. These structures are unique to China and are characterized by their deep red hues, steep cliffs, and distinctive shapes. Mount Danxia of China's Guangdong Province is home to some of the bigger (ahem) Danxia Landform attractions. Of particular interest is a natural pillar known as Yangyuanshi, or Male Stone, for reasons that are immediately obvious (see photos). Not far from Yangyuanshi is its female counterpart, Yinyuanshi, effectively reenforcing the conviction that Mother Nature has a sense of humor, and possibly a rather juvenile one at that.
Other noteworthy Danxia landscapes include the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, which is home to some of the largest examples of Danxia. Located in the Gansu Province, the Zhangye Danxia are particularly striking for their beautiful multicolored patterns of rock strata.Without going into the geological jargons, eye candy is what would best describe the Zhangye Danxia Landform. It is literally a massive piece of art that spans more than 400 square kilometers in the Linze and Sunan counties of the Gansu Province in northwest China. A canvas cloth would envy the rolling hills and landscapes painted with all colors imaginable. It is as though either an artist had accidentally spilled his color palette on it and let it drip or purposely created this multicolored masterpiece. There are several danxia landforms in China but this one in Zhangye is known as the largest and the most typical, and referred by geologists as the “window lattice and palace-shaped danxia topography”.
The Zhangye Geology Park, which allows for a panoramic view of this attraction, welcomes local and foreign tourists alike. Visitors will usually have to start from Lanzhou, which is Gansu’s capital, and then make a choice between bus, train or plane travel to Zhangye. Buses are the most common mode of transport to the park and is often preferred by many, and they would say that the view is best enjoyed right after rainfall when all the colors of the rocks are more striking than usual. But in this part of the country known to be an arid region, rainfall or no rainfall, the site has always been able to captivate the curiosity and interest of tourists. In fact, the Chinese National Geography has nominated it as one among the seven most magnificent danxia landscapes in China since 2005.
So next time you crave for sweets or feel like going after that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, come to China and find what you’re looking for in the eye candy that is the danxia landform in Zhangye.