It’s a key part of the local Summer ritual here: the wonderful Lavender Harvest Festival run by our great friends, neighbours (and indeed, they’re family too) at Fragrances of Ireland, right next door to us in Kilmacanogue, is on for five weekends from 29 June.

The festival celebrates their own lavender harvest from across the N11 on the slopes of the Little Sugarloaf and the amazing gift from nature that is pure, golden lavender oil. They use lavender oil to produce their own LAVÓ range including lavender cologne, handmade soaps in rainbow hues, hand cream and bath salts as well as fine-blended pure lavender oil and lots of other goodies, including scented bags filled with dried lavender flowers.

You’ll find a vintage section too, with gorgeous embroidered table clothes, damask napkins and towels, as well as vintage china tea sets, glassware, kitchenalia and curiosities collected from across Ireland, England and the US. 

The Lavender Harvest Festival is on next door for five weekends in June and July 2024 from 10am to 5pm:

• Sat & Sun, 29 & 30 June
• Sat & Sun, 6 & 7 July
• Sat & Sun, 13 & 14 July
• Sat & Sun, 20 & 21 July
• Sat & Sun, 27 & 28 July