The bush is a variegated ceonothus or Californian lilac. This time of year it covered in blue flowers, they didn't show up too well on the photo.
Do you have an image hosting account with anyone? photobucket, etc? If you do, you need to add the img. url and when you post it the photo appears. You can check it first in preview if you want. 

Hammer, Have a go. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.?? As Val said, Frank made a great job !!

You sure are coming out with some good garden plans. If Marigolds keep the 'nasties' away, how do you keep those Slugs away ??  A few years ago, we had a lovelly line of marigolds, in a boder under the conifer hedging --- untill the slugs, slowly but surely went down that line --- for three square meals a day. so no more lovelly yellow marigolds. 

I'm doing a herb bed around the raised veggies. I think it might help with the pollinating insects. I also love the smell of mint so have put a few different varieties in pots so they don't take over. I've got sage, chives,rosemary,thyme,and I've sent off for a pot of chamomile and a few others I can't remember the names of. I've also got the curry plant. Apparently if you plant sage and rosemary near each other it helps them to grow, there's a bit of useless info.

Yes I'm sure ours have fledged too but I won't look until next week. I've not seen any activity from the parents so they've either fledged or worse. I've noticed in the garden mags that nearly everyone seems to be just putting bedding out, as you say we're all late this year. We've just had hail stones and rain to batter everything down, well can't have things looking to good, its still humid though. I'd love to grow peas, are they difficult? What puts me off is the fat maggot I used to come across when I pinched them from the garden as a girl, I'm much more squeamish now and the thought of only finding half a maggot, or is that apples? just makes me want to choke. Have you been watching spring watch? I never knew you could get black foxes, makes you wonder if its these people are seeing when they talk of black panthers walking our countryside.

I've got a real fascination for big cat sightings, I'd love for someone to film one properly and for it to be genuine. I think nearly every county has their big cat stories, I do love a good mystery.

I remember over 20 year ago , a milk man saw a Lion , roaming around in a village no more than  4 miles away from us, Police cordaned off the village and did a big search , but nothing was found ,, Sometimes a big dog like a Great Dane  can look from a distance like a lion .


The gas board should cover the cost of the wall they have knocked down , as long as someone takes it up with them , or they will just probably walk away