8:00am Sunday 24th July 2011

A popular community harvest will be held at the three acre Carshalton Lavender field at Stanley Road Allotments.

Visitors can pick their own lavender, enjoy a barbecue, visit stalls selling lavender-related products and have aromatherapy treatments from qualified practitioners.

For younger visitors there will be face-painting and nail decoration. Children and adults alike can take part in painting sessions run by the Corner Gallery.

At the end of each day, artists will be entered into a raffle for the chance to win the artwork.

This year, Carshalton Lavender will be joined by the Corner Gallery offering visitors the chance to indulge their creative side in paint-your-own lavender sessions.

Carshalton Lavender plants are all grown from cuttings taken from the original lavender. In the early 1900s, blue fields of lavender could be seen all over Wallington, Carshalton, Mitcham, Waddon and Sutton. Visitors will also be able to purchase lavender plants, including those grown on from the heritage field.

In 2009, the group was able to distil lavender oil in Carshalton for the first time in over 100 years. The Still will be in action over the weekend, and demonstrations of its use will be given.

Carshalton Lavender is run by volunteers who are keen to keep the heritage of the local lavender alive for future generations.

The field, which is part of the Stanley Road Allotment site, can be accessed from Stanley Park Road. The entrance is in Oaks Way, behind South Carshalton Day Centre.

For more information and details on public transport visit www.carshaltonlavender.org Carshalton Lavender is opening its doors to the public at its 12th Open Weekend, on July 30 & 31, 10am to 4pm.