The purple harvest that's proving popular

The last harvest of the year has taken place of a product more usually associated with the Provence region of France.

Lavender is grown in the Cotswolds because the stony soil suits its liking for good drainage.

  • Watch the lavender harvest on the Cotswolds

The harvest has to take place over just a couple of days or the crop will be past its best.

Cotswold Lavender then turns the herb into various cosmetics and oils.

People are mostly aware of lavender's properties in helping people sleep. The herbalist Nicholas Culpeper claimed a wealth of other benefits - but bear in mind he was writing in the 17th Century and our health knowledge has moved on a great deal since then.

  • Some uses of lavender according to Culpeper