How natural is natural?

The adjective 'natural' is used with wild abandon to describe anything which once came from nature. The dictionary definition includes the distinction that it is not made or caused by humankind and yet our influence on the world means that little can properly be classed natural in those terms.

For anyone attempting to live a more clean lifestyle, this is a major dilemma, particularly when considering choices in food, cosmetics and household products.

In the heart of Hitchin, beside the resolutely-closed Hitchin Museum (just a few metres from the newly-opened North Herts Museum, which has been so badly managed that it doesn't even have a proper entrance), there lies the William Ransom Physic Garden. It's a beautiful spot, even in the closing days of September.

William Ransom began selling essential oils in Hitchin in 1846 and the business is still going today, albeit owned by a major pharmaceutical operation. His garden of aromatic plants is a fragrant reminder of the man's legacy, but his influence spreads across the town, with a local school named after him and the ever-growing Hitchin Lavender, which brings visitors to the town throughout the summer.

Even in early September, there's lavender to be collected

Hitchin Lavender is an off-shoot of the once-thriving local lavender industry, which dates back even further than William Ransom. Now we have a field of lavender that brightens the skyline from spring through to September, together with a tea room and museum. Collecting lavender from a field, bringing it home and enjoying its scent for months to come is probably as close to natural as most of us can hope to come.

It's heartening to see so many major businesses embracing sustainability and they're listening to consumers, who are searching for the natural. William Ransom's garden is a beautiful reminder of the natural that is around us all the time.