Lonely poppy

W and I spent several backbreaking and soul-destroying hours weeding the front yard today.  Can you see the poppy?  I hadn't the heart to uproot it!

We hadn't expected to need to do this job again in Norfolk - though I suspect it, or something similar, will need tackling in Ireland*.  W had threatened chemical weedkilling - but in the end, I think we've done a good enough job to avoid that eventuality.

The front yard is a bit bare, because our neighbours have adopted the potted roses and the camellias**.  

The next job is to tackle the "back passage" - the rather appropriately named narrow passage down the back of the house to the back door.  It is rather overgrown with many weeds, including nettles, brambles and some small tree seedlings.

* Many of the Irish houses we looked on at Daft.ie were surrounded by tarmac - we hated the idea, and viewed very few of these.  The one we chose has gravel, like this.  But of course, gravel needs upkeep - tarmac less.

** The camellias had already been repotted, so that we could take this rather nice pot with us to Ireland.  But they weren't doing well in a pot.  Our neighbour has planted them out into the garden, where they should be much happier.