Dust Bowl

I do not have a beautiful summer garden - even before the hot weather it was looking a bit ropey. 

 The shade and part-shade areas are fine, but I've never got to grips with the area on the other side of the path. Shady for part of the morning, hot hot sun in the afternoon. (The fence is the responsibility of my neighbour)

We also have the courtyard which has a bistro set, a waterbutt and not much else, other than a few pots of plants I've removed from the border. 

After thinking about new shrubs, trees, a pond and all manner of other things a thought popped into my head - why not just extend the courtyard? We're always saying there's not really enough room to move in that space, certainly no room for more than two people. So why not move the gabions level to the edge of the patio, get the plants out of the pots and into the ground, and add a small amount more gravel for a bit of breathing room around the table.

It would almost double the length of the courtyard, and could be a fairly low cost project. I haven't told the chap about moving all those stones (again) yet, maybe I'll wait until we're sat down with a drink and a sweet treat.