Levendula Kert és Arborétum

Levendula Kert és Arborétum (Lavender Garden and Arboretum) is a peaceful lavender garden and tree collection on the edge of Zalaegerszeg. Rows of lavender fill the middle of the site, with planted trees around them. Timing is everything here. The gate opens for only a few days in June during the peak lavender bloom, and the dates vary from year to year based on the spring weather, so check before you commit to a drive. Once you're in the field there is lots of room to spread out and get the camera low so the flower heads can stack away into the distance. Early and late in the day are when the light comes in sideways and the purple holds its colour. Midday flattens the purple tones and are often when the fields get quite busy. Bees dot the flowers constantly, so moving slowly and having some patience might let you capture them as they work. The arboretum behind gives you lush greens and shade to contrast all that purple, which helps if you're shooting portraits. There is an admission fee to access the gardens. Lavender syrup, tea and plants are sold at the gate, so pick something up on the way out. (Zalaegerszeg, Zala, Hungary)