On Friday I went with my partner to see the bluebells at Ashridge and what a vision they were. After coffee we set off on a recommended short walk but managed to miss the turning and soon found ourselves deeper in the woods surrounded by a haze of blue as far as we could see, it was magical. The range of colour from almost navy to the palest blue was visually stunning which, combined with the wonderful perfume from the flowers, made for an unforgettable experience. There are times when gardeners just can’t compete with nature. We both agreed that missing the intended pathway turned out to be a blessing as we slowly wandered amongst the trees for a couple of hours in this most beautiful place before we made our way back to the visitor centre and a welcome cup of tea.

The fine, sunny weather seems to go on and on but I hear gardeners everywhere wishing for some rain. Well on Friday we found some! Just as we were finishing our tea there was a huge clap of thunder and the heavens opened. Thinking ‘good we won’t have to water tonight’ we set off for home only to find that in Abbots Langley there certainly hadn’t been any rain so it was out with the watering can and hose as usual. With all the warm, dry, sunny days the pots and baskets dry out very quickly so need frequent topping up. Of course, The Wedding has been the focus of everybody’s attention and I caught up with the highlights on Friday evening. The dress was gorgeous and I thought her delicate bouquet of white Sweet Williams was a perfect choice. But most memorable for me were the live trees in the abbey and the freshness they gave while at the same time matching the scale of the building in a way that floral decorations never could. I read that they will be replanted at Highgrove to make a living reminder of a very special day.

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here