My dad retired at 50,” says Rachel. “He spent the next 25 years enjoying and maintaining the house.” And it shows. The love and attention that has been bestowed on Eden Bank and its wonderful gardens is evident from every view point. The extensive landscaped grounds include manicured lawns and mature woodlands, along with a tennis court. Footpaths wind through the grounds, linking quiet seating areas and features such as an ornate pond. From buzzing bumblebees to the blazing blue sky, summer is a real joy to behold. With alfresco dining season on the horizon (if you haven't already started), now is the perfect time to get your home — and outdoor space — ready for the beautiful, balmy days ahead. Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores we’ve received and divide that total by the number of review scores we’ve received. In addition, guests can give separate ‘subscores’ in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so there’s no direct link between them. Nestled in almost two acres of grounds on the outskirts of Wetheral village in Cumbria, the property’s private position gives way to a magnificent vista of open countryside views that are utterly breathtaking to behold. Rachel and her husband Sean were married at Eden Bank and a generation later, the house provided a beautiful and elegant setting for their daughter’s wedding too. “There have been so many visitors to the house over the years,” says Sean. “And it’s always the same reaction when guests arrive. People can’t quite believe that such a private and quiet setting exists within a thriving riverside village.”

A Grade II Listed property dating from 1834, Eden Bank was constructed for a prominent wine merchant from nearby Brampton. It was the first large house to be built in Wetheral, influenced by the development of the Newcastle to Carlisle Railway which brought increased trade and prosperity to the area. We will never sell, rent, or lease your Personal Data to a third party. What rights you have over your data Adam suggests: 'I'd recommend using a spray consisting of one part distilled (white) vinegar to 10 parts warm water which can be applied directly to a cloth before being rubbed evenly against the glass. For a bit of extra sparkle, sprinkle some baking powder onto the cloth before you add the solution and it will aid the cleaning process.' A wonderful meeting of memoir and landscape, both rigorous and freewheeling, expansive and intimate, rendered in dreamy prose.’If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For wooden furniture sets or wooden benches, use a pressure washer to remove built-up grime. If things still need a little perking up, try transforming furniture with weather-proof paint or a glaze of varnish. You'll impress guests in no time. Residents are warned of approaching floods by an integrated smartphone app, enabling them to move their cars to designated safe spaces on nearby higher ground Light touch’ ground floor allows water to pass through without displacing it to another location, making it suitable for upper, middle and lower catchment areas Want to give your home a seasonal upgrade? Break out into fresh colours — think oranges, zesty yellows and pastel blues — to create an easy-breezy vibe at home. It could be zoning a room using paint, simply layering a few scatter cushions on your sofa in sea-green turquoise, or buying new bedlinen that feels as bright as summer mornings.

A handsome Georgian property, Eden Bank boasts lovely proportions, large windows and high ceilings. The stunning countryside views cascade from the gardens with the majestic River Eden glistening in the near distance. While raising kids was the best time of my life so far, money was tight. So purchasing new decor for my home was always low on the totem pole. But as each new season rolled around, I found myself wanting to change my surroundings. So I began to “shop my home” so to speak. I found so many things I could change to reflect the new season with very little cost. My seasonal need for change became something that my family and friends embraced. They looked forward to each season wondering “what will she do next?” Gavin Plumley is a frequent contributor on BBC Radio 3 and 4, and has written for the Times, Guardian, Independent, Gramophone and GQ, as well as lecturing at leading museums and galleries. Contributions should be appropriate for a global audience. Please avoid using profanity or attempts to approximate profanity with creative spelling, in any language. Comments and media that include 'hate speech', discriminatory remarks, threats, sexually explicit remarks, violence, and the promotion of illegal activity are not permitted. Techno-natural’: the planted roof of the Sun Rain Room, its glass-domed holes ‘like little suns’. Photograph: Edmund Sumner