Green Fingers and an Aching Back

I've spent the lovely sunny days lying on my sun lounger, soaking up the rays. Well in my mind I have, in reality my body doesn't know what's hit it. The spring-like weather has had a similar effect on me to that which it has on mole. "Bother spring-cleaning!" Actually, I say that every year, whatever the weather, but the last two weeks have seen me digging, weeding, sawing, shredding, barrowing etc. so pockets in the garden are looking almost respectable:

Waiting to burst into growth.

One of my jobs involved digging out a bed by the patio that was overrun with couch grass and had too much soil in it. Ten barrow loads had to go to the top of the garden (100ft long, on a slope with two sets of steps!) My poor back.

This is it now, waiting to be planted with things that will lend a mediterranean feel to it and be fragrant. The trouble is, because it's at the bottom of a slope, it holds the water well and so I'm not sure if things like lavender will be happy there. Any suggestions?

This was part of the original garden and has these lovely rusted plaques - not sure what they were - just ornamental? That's the edwardians for you.

I've managed to move part of a conifer we had taken down last November and put it to use as a seat with ready made cup-of-tea shelf for the poor old gardener (me) to rest awhile:

The weather has obviously got to Missy who has decided she's pregnant and is furiously pulling bits of fur out to make a nest:

Aaaah!