A field of English lavender Jul 10, 2023

A field of English lavender

Delighting the senses with its vibrant hues and fragrant blooms, lavender is thought to have arrived in England with the Romans, around 2,000 years ago. While it’s nice to look at, the Romans likely brought it with them for its many practical uses, including cooking, repelling insects, and as an antiseptic. Many perfumes, modern and historical, have featured lavender, and Queen Elizabeth I is purported to have used lavender scent. You’ll find lavender fields scattered across the country. This one is a typical example, a quintessential summer sight here in the picturesque county of Somerset, in southwest England.

© Doug Chinnery/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jul 10, 2018Wyoming celebrates its statehood
Jul 10, 2019Put your helmet on, we’re going for a hike
Jul 10, 2020Italy s submerged village
Jul 10, 2021Celestial Spain
Jul 10, 2022Ölüdeniz, Turkey
Jul 10, 2024Collared aracari in Costa Rica
Jul 10, 2025Independence Day of the Bahamas

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 29, 2018Vacuum Chamber 5 at Glenn Research Center
Apr 27, 2025Halemaumau Crater, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Dec 7, 2023National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Nov 5, 2019Balloons and camels are two ways to catch a ride here
Dec 7, 2018Honoring our fallen heroes
Jun 7, 2018Humpbacks return to the Inside Passage
Oct 24, 2019Bridge of Hillsborough County
Jun 21, 2021The tallest animal in the world on the longest day of the year
Feb 28, 2025Tibetan New Year
Jul 31, 2022Noctilucent clouds
Dec 4, 2023International Cheetah Day
Aug 30, 2018Castle Frankenstein in Darmstadt, Germany
Feb 25, 2019High above the reef
Apr 28, 2021Coming home to roost
Apr 18, 2025International Day for Monuments and Sites
May 3, 2018Nazar amulets, Goreme National Park, Cappadocia, Turkey
Nov 9, 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
Nov 11, 2023Veterans Day
Dec 5, 2019A growing business
Jun 20, 2019In celebration of America’s national bird
Dec 2, 2025Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act anniversary
Aug 16, 2019Shining like Klondike gold
Apr 21, 2020Where do those colors come from?
Jul 10, 2018Wyoming celebrates its statehood
Mar 20, 2022World Frog Day
Nov 2, 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Jan 26, 2018Eastern grey kangaroos in Australia’s Kosciuszko National Park
Mar 4, 20222022 Winter Paralympics
Jul 17, 2020Let s face it: It s World Emoji Day
May 21, 2019Salmon return to the Copper River