This is the front garden, previously part veg, part ground elder, raspberry suckers and past-it fruit bushes. We cleared it partly by hand, then by digger. Then a fairly strenuous weekend spent rotavating, composting and using a 7 ton roller over and over until flat and stone free. For anyone who has not tried using a rotavator, I would suggest it is the hardest work you can do whilst looking as though you are just standing there. Rather like trying to drive a wild beast. Then came the turf, and we have lawn! The nurseryman at Eggleston Hall, a stones throw away from here, is going to help me to plan the planting and borders, as the climate here is somewhat different to that of our soft Bramble Cottage garden.

This is the view, facing south, from that garden, the main and guest bedroom and the living and dining rooms. Did I say dining room? I meant the room that is still full of boxes that we have not unpacked yet and remains a rather cold dark place to practice the piano.