Located in the southwest of central Anatolia in Türkiye, Karatay Lavender Gardens, one of Konya’s important tourism and production areas, has begun its harvest season. The harvested lavender is transformed into economic value across various sectors.
The harvest was carried out at Karatay Lavender Gardens. The lavender collected in the garden, which hosted hundreds of thousands of domestic and foreign visitors over the course of a month, will be used as raw materials for many products such as soda, ice cream, soap, candles, cream and lavender oil. Opened to visitors on June 28, Karatay Lavender Gardens offered a unique visual feast with the most beautiful shades of purple. The Lavender Garden was not just a flower field but a place where unforgettable memories blossomed, welcoming visitors. The garden, a favorite spot for both professional and amateur photographers, as well as nature lovers, also offered visitors the chance to capture unforgettable shots thanks to specially decorated areas.
With the closing of Karatay Lavender Gardens to visitors, the harvest work began, carried out by the teams of the Parks and Gardens Directorate. The harvested lavender is transported to the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Distillation Center in Güneysınır, operated by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality, where its oil and water are separated. Karatay Lavender is actively used in various sectors, including food, cosmetics, health and cleaning.
Hasan Kılca, mayor of Konya’s central Karatay District, expressed his satisfaction with the intense interest shown in the Lavender Garden. He recalled that they launched the lavender garden in 2019 to utilize barren lands and set an example for producers. Mayor Kılca stated that the project initially began with 100,000 lavender saplings on an area of 90,000 square meters (approximately 968,751 square feet). He added that the garden was expanded by planting another 200,000 saplings on an additional 250,000 square meters. Currently, there are over 300,000 lavender plants on a total area of 340,000 square meters. Noting that they encounter increasing interest each year, Kılca said, “This year, our garden has become one of Konya’s attraction centers with its pleasant scent and unique scenery. We hosted over 500,000 visitors in just one month.”
Kılca emphasized that lavender is not only visually appealing but also holds great economic value, highlighting that the plant is used in many fields with high added value, including health, food, cosmetics and cleaning. “On this path, where we aimed to offer our citizens an alternative and profitable product, we produce many items from lavender, such as soda, soap, cream, oil and ice cream. In this way, while contributing to the tourism of Karatay and Konya, we also add economic value to our municipal budget,” he explained.
Concluding his speech, he thanked all visitors who showed great interest in both Karatay Lavender Gardens and Karatay Mevlana Rose Park, saying, “As last year, we received great interest from our citizens this year as well. We will continue to add beauty to the charm of Karatay.”
