I have at last emerged from under my snowdrift and am back outside rejuvenating some of my snow-squashed and frost-scorched gardens.

There have been some wonderful photo opportunities, as instead of the usual drab, grey start to the year, we have had a sparkly white one. However, on some of the coldest days I did wonder about the wisdom of exposing my camera to those sub-zero temperatures as I watched, cross-eyed, the icicle on the end of my nose growing longer with every sniff.

During my hibernation I read an article by Tim Richardson, garden and landscape critic. He mentioned several things that caught my attention and slightly raised my hackles. First of all he pointed out that garden photographers tend to be liars and only capture the best moments of a garden (well of course they do), garden designers tend to live in a ‘cultural vacuum’ (Thanks Mr Richardson) and then he wrote about garden ‘bloggers’.

I went a bit huffy when I first read this, but, a) what he wrote is true to a degree and b) I noted that I must be more careful.

He raised three points - and I think I might be guilty of all of them…. going on about your broad beans - I remember writing about my runner beans, does that count? Raving about ‘trusty Felco secateurs’ and how wonderful they are. Well yes, they are. Have I mentioned them somewhere along the way? Probably.

And the third - moaning about TV personalities. Oops.

Ok, guilty on all three counts, but then again this column is about gardening and all things horticultural. I am a gardener and garden designer, so I am unlikely to ramble on about the intricate workings of the internal combustion engine. (Unless it’s a lawn mower)

I am also a photographer. And while my own garden is dotted with the happy faces of early flowers all waiting to be photographed, I am concentrating on roses and the forthcoming Valentine Exhibition taking place at the Abundant Gallery here in Ludlow.  www.abundantludlow.co.uk

Then it’s on with the boots and back to tending my gardens …  my ‘trusty Felcos’ at the ready.