The back of the cottage was boring and plain, gravel on the ground, surrounded by a whitewashed wall. The paint shop mixed the red outside wall paint especially for me as normally you can only buy pastel colours for outside walls – what’s wrong with a bright colour? Tadhg built the slatted fence as well as the picnic table. We bought a chimnea to go with the barbecue and a parasol for the picnic table. I ordered a selection of herbs from O’Hanlon Herbs. These would be re-potted and fixed to the feature wall. Outdoor dining was beginning to look very inviting.