Deborah Catchpole

Deborah Catchpole takes a monthly look at gardening, flowers, and the outside world in and around Hertfordshire.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions lavender? Five or so years ago, most people would have told you that they associated lavender with old ladies. It was a plant which seemed to be synonymous with the idea of all things old fashioned.

I pulled into the library carpark in Berkhamsted on Monday evening, where I was due to be meeting Trevor - it has been lashing down with rain all day, and I hadn’t been sure whether I’d still be able to meet with him and his wife Bettina.

If you’re lucky enough to be attending the Chelsea Flower Show this week, or you’re watching it on the television coverage - you’ll see that as well as the large show gardens, which continue to be just as impressive every year; this year there are some really different concepts, which have really caught my eye.

A sea of bluebells. As far as the eye can see. A heady scent which is totally intoxicating, and yet gentle at the same time – wrapping around my head and overpowering my senses.

As the days are getting longer, and the hours of daylight are making a real change to the gardens, I start to get itchy fingers.

As I write this, the sun is streaming through the window, and I can see clusters of yellow daffodils; bowing their heads in the wind.

It is the 16th of January. I keep hearing the promise of snow, and I’ve been over to my mum and dad’s house to pick up the sledges just in case.

This weekend I went for a walk in my beloved Ashridge. Some 20 minutes from St Albans, and about 15 from Harpenden, you can be right in the heart of the Ashridge estate. In my humble opinion; there are few places more beautiful on the planet, but then I am slightly biased.

True to form, the Bank Holiday weather was terrible. If you listen to most people - that’s what they’ll be saying. For the majority, rain spells bad news - the majority - but not for me. Not only is rain my favourite type of weather, it does untold good for our gardens. The changing of the seasons has well and truly started.