More value than a night out!

Looks very smart Shirley, love it.

looks wonderful Shirley. Lovely plants and such a fortuitous gift from a good friend.

Thanks Julia, it is indeed a Nandina 'Fire Power'.

Hi Sylvia, the new folk next door cut back the enormous Bay Tree, so the raised bed has more light than before. I am trying to cut down on plants now, nothing that needs too much maintenance, you know what I mean!

Thanks Eileen, I wonder if the Escallonia to the back left would take kindly to a bit of pruning/shaping. Mind you, the Viburnum in the middle is growing away well now so perhaps I shall cut that a little too.

Oh yes, this morning I found some of the chipped bark had been thrown around, so I'm guessing that blinkin' Fox came around last night.

Julia, it seemed too straight a line for birds to have done it, if that makes sense! I just messaged you ... :o)

The Hebes are very nice Shirley, I'd rather visit a garden centre than a show any day :D

Your raised bed looks nice and tidy, it will be pretty when the Crocuses are flowering.
I thought Megan died last year, time flies doesn't it.

A job well done Shirley, crocus are my faves too. I am having two or three low pots planted with them.this year.

I love what you have done with your raised bed Shirley and that was so kind of your friends to give you a garden voucher , especially at a time when you needed more plants.
I'm with Hywel, I would sooner go to a garden centre!
That special area is going to look so colourful in the spring with the crocuses.

Hywel, I agree with about how time flies. We almost adopted a rescue cat last year but changed our minds, mainly because our neighbours on one side have a large Dingo type dog which is not tolerant of cats ... :o((

Janey, they just make me smile when they appear, such pretty little flowers. I bet your pots of Crocus will look wonderful.

Rose, we try to support the local theatre company, especially the musical youth group, as they really struggled during Lockdown, plus a friend has a granddaughter in the troupe!

I have found some dwarf Narcissus hat I saved from this year in the greenhouse (as you do!) so will add them to the raised bed.

Thanks Klahanie ... I am pleased with them too!

Your new hebes look lovely, Shirley, really attractive addition to your raised bed. In fact, the whole are looks very appealing, smashing plant choices too. A nice mix of different colours, shapes and sizes.
I found the blackies used to chuck all the bark chipping around when we used it years ago, they did it blatantly in front of us too!

Thanks Kate, those Blackbirds have a lot to answer for ... :o))

It’s looking good, Shirley.l like your choice of Hebes. Pity about the fox scraping about! We all have different wild life around us, here the squirrels dig in pots & the moles are tunnelling under my plants.:-(

Josie, I think the Squirrels have left now, they used to dig up bulbs in pots here. I hope those Moles don't do too much damage in your garden.

Sorry, I missed this blog. How annoying to miss a night out but hope you are much improved, Shirley. I like your little bed, all looking spick and span. We've pretty much given up on hebes here on our hill: not one made it through last winter!

Thanks Ange, a little improved, getting there slowly! Yesterday I planted the 'Sundisc' Narcissus I had saved from the Spring ... hope they flower again. Such a shame that Hebes don't fare well in your garden.