A SEA of purple makes a stunning display across the north Essex countryside.

Fairking Ltd have been growing the brightly coloured crop of echium in Feering for more than 30 years.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

The firm now farms more than 6,000 acres of echium and borage which are harvested for their seed in order for the oil to be extracted and used in cosmetics, food and nutraceuticals to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis and skin conditions such as eczema.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

  • The image by photographer Joe Giddens shows Fairking Ltd co-director Andrew Fairs (left) and farming partner Steve Crayston (right) inspect their crop of echium

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

The pollination of the flowers relies solely on the natural pollinators in the area including bees, hoverflies and butterflies.