The most Halloweeny thing I do is get a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t love the autumnal feel.
So, for his very first Halloween where he’s starting to kind of understand the concept of scary-but-fun, I took my two-year-old nephew to Mayfield Lavender Field for their Malice in Lavenderland popup.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect beyond a few pumpkins and some Instagrammable setups, but it ended up being a full-on whimsical, slightly surreal, and delightfully chaotic experience.
Upon arrival, we were handed a sheet to find all the letters scattered across the field to reveal a secret word for a prize.
The fact that I knew what the 12-lettered word was after discovering the second letter made me wish I could go back in time and enjoy the thrill of complete oblivion.
Despite that, I was more than excited to embark on the journey to find all the hidden letters.
Our first stop was a pumpkin-strewn field with the Cheshire Cat ghost train winking.
My nephew discovered the joys of wheeling a wheelbarrow around, which I can only assume is some early training for gardening championships.
Honestly, watching him figure it out made me realise that this was a brilliant place to bring the kids and see how they learn things.
Next came the Mad Hatter’s Garden, which was stunning.
There was a telephone box that rang endlessly, which, of course, I answered out of curiosity.
No one was on the line, just another ring that made me jump a little and immediately declare myself “King of the Haunted Telephone Boxes.”
There was the Mad Hatter’s table, the Looking Glass, and the Haunted Wedding Isle.
(Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)
At one point, we accidentally wandered down the wrong path and ended up on the outskirts of the field, realising later we should have taken the proper aisle.
Instead, we embraced our detour like adventurers discovering a secret world.
We also came across a Flamboyant of Flamingos (used for playing croquet), the Queen of Hearts Domain, and finally, Room With A View.
By this point, my brain was equal parts enchanted and exhausted, while my nephew was just thrilled by the constant new surprises.
Naturally, after all the wandering and spooky excitement, it was time for a proper Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.
For the first time in years, I tried a strawberry tart and found myself recalling snippets from my Year Six Alice in Wonderland performance.
It was totally off-key, but we won’t dwell.
Most of the food featured hints of lavender, including the Mayfield Lightly Sparkling Lavender Lemonade, which genuinely tasted like lavender had been squeezed straight into it (in a good way).
The tea party spread was more whimsical than filling: cheeses, salami, onion, breadsticks, and brownies.
The brownies were topped with heart-shaped gummies and absolutely divine, and we even found ourselves sitting with a Mad Hatter Skeleton, which turned out to be an unexpectedly hilarious dining companion.
The Glass House Cafe itself had a really lovely vibe, and I noticed older visitors wandering through, clearly enjoying the Halloween magic just as much as the toddlers.
The idea that retirees come here for a cup of tea during the workday somehow made the whole place feel like a secret, perfectly-timed escape from the rest of the world.
By the end, I was slightly delirious from joy, sugar, and lavender inhalation, and my nephew was utterly enchanted.
Even for someone who doesn’t usually do Halloween, this popup manages to capture the whimsical, curious, spooky, and magical spirit of the season.
Malice in Lavenderland runs until October 31.
