Update

After a visit from the parents a couple of weekends ago great strides were made to make the plot look like a plot. Mum had got the lines out to make straight edges-whereas I was just going by more good luck than judgement. I can see i'll have to make more use of the lines from now on. Dad managed to edge quite a bit of the plot and later on sharpened all my tools with a new stone I'd bought-hence the shears and secateurs cut rather than hack!
I must get up to the plot tomorrow as I haven't been for over a week-visited gardens in Cornwall-Eden, Heligan and a Japanese garden-all very inspirational in different ways. Once the photos are installed I can post some here. However, Dread to think what state its in, I did leave it fairly weed free and watered and growing well.