This house always looks best in the summer; hunkering down, all wrapped up and softened by greenery with a few flushes of floral colour, so thought I'd share this lovely sight...

But, lest you should be too nauseated by all this quaint and quintessentially English prettiness, round the corner is the reality check...

Our clever builders realised that the outside of the house was higher than the inside and virtually surrounded by concrete, which may have explained why there was a certain amount of damp. So, we're lowering the exterior and digging out all the concrete.

In its place, reclaimed red brick which I'm hoping to soften by seeding with chamomile and moss. It's all going to be worth it, but right now I think I need to put some blinkers on my rose tinted glasses...