Work in the garden has ground to a halt...

...but only temporarily.  I worked really hard out there last week, so much so that I was absolutely pooped over the weekend!  Still, all those horrible weeds are now gone, thank goodness, and I can actually see what plants I have.  The ground had a really hard top layer of soil which made it difficult to dig the weeds out.  I think the weeds had grown so big that they were stopping any rain getting through!  It's pouring with rain here today so the garden will be getting a lovely soak :-)

The pile of rubbish is still there, as you can see, but hopefully I will be able to get in touch with Richard next week.  I cut back the shrubs in this border as they were taking over, especially the buddleia.  The two sedums had a trim too.

I dug out a few of the crocosmia which were tresspassing beyond their allotted spaces.  I also dug out the buddleia which used to be where the concrete bird bath base now stands, as it was overshadowing the pretty little golden shrub ~ which I can't remember the name of!

The buddleia is now living against the shed, between the climbing roses.  I cut it right back and already it has stopped looking sulky and wilted LOL  The currant bush had quite a trim, too.  I was happy to cut it back as I grow it as an ornamental shrub rather than for the currants ~ I let the birds have them :-)

I found another bergenia lurking amongst the weeds and moved it to the bottom bed behind the "rockery" stones.

A couple of new plants have gone in the rosemary bed, along with an armeria which was being smothered in the border at the end of the garden.

The bay tree has finally been repotted.  I took off a few more of the lower branches as I like the look of a bare lower stem.  I divided up the little succulent which was sharing its previous pot, and put back some of the pieces as the two seemed happy living together.  The climbing rose is waiting to go into the border at the end of the garden.  I can't get to the area I want to plant it in at the moment as the rubbish pile is in the way.

The old butler's sink is now planted up with pretty little alpines, and the last of the houseleek offshoots have been put into the terracotta bowl beside the garden angel.  I am really pleased with the alpines, which I got from a new-to-me company called Plants for Small Gardens.

The two geraniums came from Sainsbury's; they look happier now they have been rehomed in larger pots!  I still haven't decided what to plant in the large round tub at the back, although I think I may well put a variety of succulents in the terracotta herb planter.  I am thinking of using the wooden planter for another display of alpines in due course.

I found a seller on Ebay who makes wooden planters, and one of them was just the right size for this space ~ trust me, it was an extremely tight fit and for a moment or two I didn't think we would get the dratted thing in there!  I have ordered some 18" log-roll to fix to the side to make it look nicer, and it will also match the borders.  I bought the white metal trellis from Ebay too.  I am going to fix it to the fence in the position it's in now, to break up the brown panel and add a little spark of colour :-)  I am considering adding a string of solar lights across the panels, and possibly some bunting too!

I am waiting for some plants for this new planter, which I have ordered from Crocus ~ a polystichum aculeatum (an evergreen fern, native to Britain), liriope muscari (which has lilac blue flowers) and pulmonaria "Sissinghurst White" (which has white flowers, obviously LOL).

The two plum-coloured pots will possibly have mint planted in them, I haven't quite made up my mind yet ~ oh, decisions, decisions!

Thankfully the pinks have settled into their new home and the buds are opening.  I was a tad concerned that they would have a hissy fit at being moved when they were full of buds, but they haven't even skipped a beat!

I have had this metal candle-holder for quite a few years and now finally have the perfect place to hang it.  It was reduced by quite a bit as one of the glass holders was missing.  I wondered if it would hang okay with only three instead of four but it's fine.

This clump of chives has been in this position for a while now ~ it obviously likes it here.  I don't really use it as a herb but grow it for the pretty flowers instead :-)

Just look at the fronds unfurling on my fern ~ I am so happy that it managed to survive my neglect!

The area between the house and my workshop is looking much tidier now.  The bag is just being used temporarily for bits and pieces of rubbish that I gather up as I'm working.  At the moment I don't know what to do here as there isn't much space.  Oh well, I'm sure I will think of something soon ;-)