Well, this may not look like much to you because I haven't got a 'before' shot, but this is the bed in the front garden that Jan and I worked on all morning, clearing all the ash seedlings, brambles, ivy, buddleia and excess cotoneaster, and moving the rocks that appeared from under the plants. Jan did the majority of the rock redistribution and what a good job she has made of it. I can now walk round the little path to the garage without getting my ankles ripped to shreds by the brambles.

By lunchtime, we were totally exhausted, and so the afternoon was spent browsing round a couple of antique shops, a visit to the dump, and lots of cups of tea in the garden with a crossword that was beyond both of us.