I thought I posted this.. but obviously I didn't.. here's a post landscaping picture.  Well almost post land-scaping.  I've since put in a mowing strip using brown recycled plastic.  But apart from that this is the finished product.

Now I'm in a battle with the council over the gutter outside my house.  I complained in February about the damaged guter.  So what do they.. re-surface a section of road and leave the gutter as is.

I complained again at the weekend after recent rain and am told the problem's caused by the driveways at the 2 neighbouring homes and is not a council responsibility.  I said what about the damage directly outside my place.. to be told that part of the complaint hadn't been passed on.  All that had been passed on was about the water build-up as a result of the raised guttering at the 2 neighbouring yards.

So, the guy's going to come back and have another look.  I haven't yet played my trump card.  In a city of a million people.. through my work I speak regularly with the Lord Mayor - the head of the council.  So if I don't eventually get some satisfaction.. I'll take it right to the top.