Border Control...

Here they are - my three glorious borders. Border 1 and 2 face each other across the lawn in the main part of the garden and Border 3 runs along the side of the house. B1 gets full sun all day long, B2 sun in the morning (towards the evening some shade) whilst B3 enjoys sun in the morn, but shaded from midday onwards. Roughly speaking that is. I'm going to get a sun compass just to check I haven't imagined it all.

Border 1

Not yet sure if I regret planting 2 eucalyptus trees in B1. It's not a wide bed, nor particularly deep, but that didn't stop me. I remember why I did it - a passion for red wines that carry subtle tones of eucalyptus spurred the moment. They plant them round the vineyards at Mont Rochelle in Franschhoek, which is precisely where I first tasted the excellent stuff. More recently, I had a lovely glass of Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon at The Hospital Club which took me back there. It came at the hefty price of £9.95, but was worth every penny.

Border 2

I digress... back to the borders: what I do regret is not training the larger eucalyptus to the fence post. Its trunk now slants at an odd angle and the tree is so tall that I struggle keeping it in check. Oh well, at least something is flourishing out there. But it's all a mess: an acer and a camellia to move from B2, (don't like camellias - too waxy/glossy) plus another plant that I know not what it is but remember planting; and in B3 there should be at least 5 roses to transplant... if I can find them. My borders don't need fine tuning... they are in need of a complete overhaul.

Border 3

And I'm not just talking beds here. There is also a fence situation. The garden is framed by 3 completely different styles from adjoining properties: a long stretch of weathered closeboard panels line the left and longest side; opposite these, (behind Border 2) stares back a gaudy green metal creation which tries hard to look woven; and to complete the trinity, a traditional lap panel fence finished with lattice, through which (thankfully) my Greek neighbour's vine grows every summer.  

Ideally, the fences need to be uniform. I certainly cannot take another season of clashing greens screaming at me. Budget pending, the answer might be a lick of paint, but I am aiming for a little more...
If my neighbours are reading this, may I add that despite their choice of cladding, they are all very nice.