What, more wall?

I know. I was all set to show you a perfectly landscaped and completed small wall with one step at the end.

That was where we left it last month.

Agnès came by and we discussed the ‘one last step’ option.

But she took one look and said ‘I think we can add a few more metres of low wall, don’t you think?’

What I was thinking was ‘every single muscle in my back and ligament in my knee aches and I can’t possibly move one more rock’.

We have a lovely wall. Do we really need a five metre long ‘extension’?

Apparently we did.

Never get between the enthusiasm of a dry stone wall builder and her next project.

So two more afternoons of grubbing out soil (and bindweed roots) hauling boulders from hidden parts of the old terrace wall it was to be.

I found yet more roof tiles to add behind the new stones and the soil behind.

You will be pleased to know I did not do any of this absurdly heavy lifting. I was on rollers and levering duty.

And of course Agnès was right.

It looks so much better to run the wall all the way to the euphorbia and the olive tree.

To accommodate the change in levels we put the old wooden chestnut beams from the building project behind the stones.

And then all I need to plant up with a long line of irises in a row directly behind the beams.

And plant more euphorbias and mimosas in that bindweed dirt. And mulch.

And cut back the weeds on the tall bank behind.

And remove all that soil from the front.

The very last bits of work for this bank. It’s going to be exciting to see it all done. Which I fear is months off given how loathe I am to lift these buckets and take the soil somewhere more useful.

But at least the end is in sight.