will my neighbours' plastic owl deter birds&friendly insects?

You can snip Oregano as soon as you like, once it's established it will just keep coming. Keep your Lavender in check to keep it bushy, you can trim it anywhere as long as you don't go into old wood.

 

Thanks. I took the first oregano snips last night and sprinkled on a vegetarian tortellini which was delicious. Have planted a second lavender today.

 

The impasse has been broken. A temporary solution has been found. The neighbours confronted me with the news that they have just ordered 80 plants that they intend to put in pots all over the front balcony, drenching the area and no doubt largely obscuring my own small contributions. But that's ok. I have taken on the enormous challenge of cultivating the wasteland adjacent to the property. Previously I had raked it over and cleared some of the dead wood, today I dug up buried glass and enormous rocks, dug the whole area over and prepared a flowerbed. I have planted a fuchshia, azalea (we have quite acidic soil), a Miscanthus and poppies - all are very small and just out of pots; I'm planning to add more. I'll post photos up here eventually. The neighbours seem glad I've taken it on as they say it is too much for them, so an accord has been reached.

 

Now why would I want to do that. Seems you already have all the answers, without the need of anyone else.

 

PS thats usually the impression that I convey, but I actually don't have all the answers at all.