Between the showers and downpours work has nearly finished on the patio. Now I am digging a border around the edge for the planting of a lavender hedge but as this was once a working farmyard, the ground is hard and stoney. After all, we are slap bang next to "Stiperstones", steeped in history and a lot of ancient stones!

I will be planting 20 lavender Hidcote from 'Lavender World' shortly. At the side of the steps leading down to The Byre, I have placed a Viburnum Kilamanjaro from Burncoose Nurseries, which won RHS plant of the year 2015 I believe. It should have layers of sweet-smelling white blossom and grow quite vertically - we shall see. On the right of the patio is a brick edge with planter where two Cotoneaster horizontalis will go when they arrive from Thompson's.

Photography has been held back by an annoying throat infection/cough which had almost gone and then decided to make a return visit. I think there is some sun forecast for this weekend so I hope to be out in the garden and the woods taking photographs. At the same time there is an extreme amount of gardening to be done, especially weeding the borders, so I will have to combine them both.

Bees are doing bee things and this one above was by my side yesterday evening as Alistair and I relaxed with a G&T after the stone digging.

There are four lights that have arrived for the patio area and now we are just waiting on the electrician but hopefully next week they should be done.