Our purchase completed today! We still can't believe, after ALL these months, that finally she is ours & we have the Title Deeds & all the keysThe girls were running wild, but I did manage to take a picture of the safe in the midst of mayhem. The parquet flooring in here has never bizarrely been varnished & is just bare dusty oak blocks.
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The photo of the whole house is just stunning. And what perfect timing, just in time for Jubilee weekend! Get yourself some of that weird lemon swiss roll trifle and sit in your beautiful grounds (on the haunted trunk obv 
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DESIGN UPDATE - GARDENS
Mega project. Mega. Almost as mega as the house
To the front of the property, right along the boundary alongside the lane, are huge trees (protected) box hedges & rhododendrons. Like, a LOT of rhododendrons. A wall. This will all be left alone. The pedestrian gate will remain, which is directly across the lane from the gate into the Church. I will perch here to watch weddings & can't wait! It's a lovely gate & I wish it could tell me all the things it's overheard as people through time have perched on her. The main gates need widening as they are narrow & we can barely get our cars through. Then the rickety farmers type gate will be removed & replaced by solid electric gates.
To the left of the house there are huge trees & that area of garden is quite dark. So we are planning this area to be my New Zealand garden in homage of my years living there. We will have a large pond put in (utilising the hand pump from the courtyard) & plant lots of variety of ferns & moss.
To the right of the house will be the new garage block, housing 3 cars & a gym. The driveway will be gravel & the planting carefully thought out.
Across the back, the formal lawns will stay as they are. We will be building a huge patio area across the back of the house & an outdoor kitchen off to the side of the new kitchen extension. Mr T wants a sunken firepit out there & the girls want a huge trampoline & a summer house.
To the back right is where the over grown chicken coops & kitchen garden is. It's a mess. There will be a beautiful new Edwardian glass house, new chicken coops & raised planters. This will be Mr T's sanctuary away from work. He's grown vegetables & fruit for years, slowly over time removing more & more shrubs to make space, so to have a large dedicated & well planned area is the icing on the cake for him.
I saw this photo a few months ago I think, when it was doing the IG rounds - everything about this picture is just hauntingly beautiful. I guess I've got a Thing for old walls. What can I say. 
I'm especially looking forward to seeing this part of the garden! And how SWEET that Mr. T. Was just waiting for the right moment to give you your forever ring!! This is a modern fairytale 
I am living for this thread right now
Can you share a photo of the wall? It sounds so picturesque. I'm envisioning women in Victorian dresses perching on it with books
Do you have pets or farm animals Ally? Or will you? Sounds like chickens at least? Are there any regulations about what you can and can't have on this protected property? I ask this as I watch two of my cats have second lunch at the potted basil on the kitchen counter
I didn't know you were in NZ! I guess I've missed some posts!! Whereabouts were you? We were in Wellington in the early 90s and Auckland in the late 90s. So I totally *get* why you're taking the darker area of the garden for your NZ garden... And the ponds and the ferns and moss. Add a feijoa tree that's got no sense of personal space and it'll be just like old home
But I'm losing track now - where's the orangery? That opens to the outdoor kitchen right?
I love how carefully everything's being thought out - and I'm impressed by how specific your plans are! You and your family have such clear vision for how you want the place to end up
Uhm, WTH?! Better, by far, to be safe and remove identifying information, photos, etc. Although it's disappointing for those of us who are in love with your wonderful project, I would think everyone would prefer you to safeguard yourself and your sweet family—and the chickens, when they arrive. 
I am living for this thread right now
Can you share a photo of the wall? It sounds so picturesque. I'm envisioning women in Victorian dresses perching on it with books
Do you have pets or farm animals Ally? Or will you? Sounds like chickens at least? Are there any regulations about what you can and can't have on this protected property? I ask this as I watch two of my cats have second lunch at the potted basil on the kitchen counter
I didn't know you were in NZ! I guess I've missed some posts!! Whereabouts were you? We were in Wellington in the early 90s and Auckland in the late 90s. So I totally *get* why you're taking the darker area of the garden for your NZ garden... And the ponds and the ferns and moss. Add a feijoa tree that's got no sense of personal space and it'll be just like old home
But I'm losing track now - where's the orangery? That opens to the outdoor kitchen right?
I love how carefully everything's being thought out - and I'm impressed by how specific your plans are! You and your family have such clear vision for how you want the place to end up
99Sorry folks, I have had to have some of my posts & photographs deleted. I had an email from Ella to say that somebody had been digging around & had actually been able able locate my new house on the Internet, complete with all the floor plans, and consequently had reported said information to Ella.
Who does that?? It's very disappointing
I have also asked the Agent who sold the property to remove it from the Internet completely. Sad, but true.
I will be posting less info going forwards, to thwart any stalking activity. Apologies to everyone who was enjoying the updates.
Eww
What is it with fijjoas ???
Those things taste like perfume
Ive read its a genetic thing
Like how people like me hate coriander
When i order Thai
no carrot, no coriander
Member only at x posts or x time after joining would be great. For security sake.
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