A Kent farm known for its sweeping lavender fields has installed Wi-Fi boosters to keep up with the growing number of visitors sharing their photos online.
Castle Farm in Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, opens its 100 acres of lavender to the public each June and July, drawing crowds for seasonal walks, picnics and, increasingly, picture-perfect social media posts.
Lorna Roberts, 43, who runs the family farm with her brother and parents, said visitors now travel from around the world in search of the ideal shot among the vivid purple rows.
To support the surge in photo uploads and online sharing, the farm has added broadband signal boosters around the fields, giving guests access to Wi-Fi while they explore.
At the entrance, a chalkboard invites people to write down where they have come from — and on one day, the farm recorded visitors from 56 different countries.
Lorna said: “It is quite breathtaking. The backdrop and the colour is just so impressive. It is like a corduroy of purple across the valley. It is the perfect backdrop for people’s photos.
“There is definitely a lot of people who come down just to get that photo. It is less than an hour from central London and it is like you are in another world.
“A lot of people were always complaining that they didn’t have good signal so we ended up putting up the guest Wi-Fi which is very much used at this time of year.
“We have Wi-Fi boosters out in the field now that people can sign on to which they ultimately end up using to upload their social posts or send photos to friends.”
The family has been running the farm for decades since Lorna’s great-great grandfather came over from Scotland with a herd of cattle.
They started planting lavender 25 years ago with the intent of producing essential oils to break into the wellness industry.
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Now, they have around 100 acres of lavender, with 80,000 plants in the picnic field alone, and they offer guided tours and walks.
People have since flown in from Australia, Argentina, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, Sweden, Peru, Egypt, and New Zealand to see the plants.
Many visitors are gardening enthusiasts who want to learn about lavender, but Lorna says that influencers are still their number one customers.
She added: “When we planted it back then it was purely to get into the wellness industry. There wasn’t Instagram, there wasn’t selfies, there was none of that around.
“My parents definitely didn’t expect this, but with the new generation coming through we were able to guide them with what we thought would be best for the fields.
“It is not only locals but people that come from overseas as well that want to experience the fields. They come from all over the world which is quite amazing.
“It is lovely that this little plant is bringing so many people together. When you get out in the field and see the amazing spectacle that mother nature puts on it is quite lovely. “
Due to the frost in mid-May causing the flowers to bloom late, the lavender season should last longer this year, with Lorna hoping it will stay until the school holidays.
She says her favourite part is the smell of the different varieties of lavender, which they use for oils as well as food and drink.
She said: “They smell amazing this time of year. It brings back a lot of memories and feelings for people. A lot of people will visit year on year because it reminds them of their grandmother.
“It gets very busy around the weekends. A lot of the time they completely sell out so it is a good idea to pre-book tickets before they come.
“It is very much a family business, it is nice to be a part of it. I think a lot of people like visiting family farms that have come down through the generations.”
