I’m not sure anyone was very ready for the nippy weather earlier this month, were they? And if I’m honest, I was holding out for an Indian Summer, which happily then arrived. But it won’t last long, will it. So here are some hot properties with log fires, so you can cosy up with a good book and a cuppa. I’m pretty sure that if I was looking for my ideal home, a real fireplace would be high up on my list of priorities. Not luxuries, you understand.

Weybridge, Surrey
Now this place is a belter. Just look at that driveway. Is there anything more grand than a tree lined driveway? I can’t think of anything (OK, a port-cullis maybe, but good luck finding one of those in the home counties). And this house is just as impressive on the inside as well. You’d hope so, as it’s just shy of £10 million. It’s classical in design, and really rather stylish and modern. You’ve got everything from a swimming pool to a sauna, and the fireplace is rather strangely outdoors. Now that’s impressive. Certainly much prettier than one of those patio heaters anyway.

Herbert Crescent, London
I like the idea of saying that my local corner shop is Harrods. Wouldn’t that be exciting? I’d actually need £18,000,000 first though, but that would bag me seven bedrooms in this gorgeous mock Tudor property. Vast open spaces, amazing features and beautiful natural light. And of course, the all important fireplace. Nice swimming pool too, should you get bored of toasty toes and fancy a swim. This is a lovely house.

 Middleton, Manchester
The interesting thing about this Lancashire property is the plot of land that comes with it. Giving you amazing panoramic views and a little bit of privacy as well. There are lovely raised gardens and the property has six bedrooms. You get views onto the golf club behind you and this property will set you back just over £700,000.

What would be on your list of priorities in your ideal home? Swimming pool? Library? Tell us in the comments.

Ever fancied living like the Swiss Family Robinson in your very own tree house? I, for one, am a very big fan of tree houses – be it the one in Regent’s Park, the tree house hotel in Sussex or even the tree house bar that popped up in east London this week.

I got to thinking that I would rather like a property with a tree house in the garden. Here are some of my particular favourites…

Surrey – £2,695,000
This property doesn’t just come with a tree house in the grounds – there’s an all-weather tennis court as well. Add in the games room, and that’s all the entertainment you’ll ever need.  And the rest of the seven-bedroom four-bathroom house doesn’t disappoint either.

Devon- £2,000,000
This property was designed by architect William Hatchard-Smith for an American millionaire in 1929, but Hatchard-Smith liked it so much he later lived in it himself. The house might be beautiful, but the garden deserves a special mention – there’s a dedicated children’s entertainment area accompanying the tree house.

Wiltshire – £795,000
If jaw-dropping views are your thing, then take a look at this four-bedroom home overlooking Limpley Stoke Valley. There are direct trains to London Paddington so you’re not too far from the city, and you get a summer house as well as a tree house. Because sometimes having just one or the other simply isn’t enough.

There is nothing that shouts countryside more than a thatched roof. Originally made from wheat straw which is fastened in bundles and then laid out and pegged along the roof, the result is pretty wonderful and something the English countryside is famed for.

They make you dream of years gone by, milking cows, strolling down country lanes and roaring fires. That’s the power of a bit of thatching.

Let’s have a look at a few of the best, shall we?

Sussex – £1,200,000
This five-bedroom home looks like it’s been lifted right out of a period drama – but  looks aren’t the only thing going for it. Yes, that is a games room you can see, and yes it does indeed have a swimming pool. It comes with 1.25 acres of gardens too – well, how else would you fit in the tennis court?

Surrey – £850,000
Now, this is the one that I want. Tucked away in East Horsley, it looks small but perfectly formed. Step inside, however, and you’ll find four bedrooms and four reception rooms. Not so small after all, then. It comes with a wonderful garden too.

Kent – £2,600,000
Not only thatch but wattle and daub as well – some might say that was greedy. But who cares, when it’s as pretty as this? Situated in the much sought after Keston Park, it  comes with five en-suite bedrooms, lots of character, a swimming pool and an ornamental lake.

Can I move to the countryside now, please?

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, just imagine how healthy you would be if you had your very own orchard.

As September fast approaches we are entering the apple harvest season, which means the apples would be just about ready to pick right now. The idea of strolling to the bottom of the garden to find a paddock full of apple trees groaning under the weight of their fruit sounds tempting.

So tempting, in fact, that it got us searching for properties with orchards. Here’s our pick of the crop…

Churchstow, Devon
£1,000,000
This 14^th-century country house is tucked away in a valley created by the River Avon.

The house has three/four bedrooms and comes with a separate studio in a converted barn.

Its 2.5 acres of cider orchards sit alongside paddocks and two ponds linked by waterfalls.

Wacton, Norfolk
£995,000
Eight miles from the market town of Diss, Wacton Hall is a well-restored 16^th-century manor house.

It has six bedrooms, five reception rooms and four bathrooms. The established orchard is hard to miss – the drive passes through on its approach to the house.

West Hall, Suffolk
£850,000
Paradise Farm, a 16^th-century five-bedroom farmhouse, comes with not one but two orchards.

It also has several acres of woodland, meadows, paddocks, former kitchen garden, lawns and ponds.

Crickleaze, Somerset
£790,000
The orchard that comes with this Victorian coach house is in good company – it sits alongside a swimming pool, fish pond, kitchen garden and bluebell copse.

The house, situated in a tiny hamlet, has five bedrooms and three reception rooms.

Forget their reputation as a cheap alternative to a London flat or a route in for cash-strapped first-time buyers. Forget the perceived misery of a freezing winter’s night on a leaky, creaky boat. That’s not the sort of houseboat I mean. I’m talking about the luxury sort of houseboat – the ones that come with four or five bedrooms, sunken swimming pools or 1,000 sq ft terraces.

If you can pass the hurdles of expensive, hard to get moorings and non-existent mortgages for houseboats (apparently around 90 per cent of sales are by cash buyers), and you do buy your very own luxury houseboat, you’ll be in very eclectic yet esteemed company. Damien Hirst, Nick Cave and Bear Grylls have all been proud houseboat owners.

Still not convinced that life on the Thames can be glamorous? Let’s see if these dreamboats can change your mind.

Riverside Quarter, Wandsworth
£1,300,000
This four-bedroom, two-level floating home has an open-plan living space and a 1,000 sq ft roof terrace. It’s moored at the popular Riverside Quarter, with 24-hour security and concierge, on-site restaurants, gym, and an underground parking space.

Cheyne Walk, Chelsea
£1,100,000
Another four-bedroom offering, this houseboat is moored on Cheyne Walk, one of the most exclusive river locations in London, with impressive views up and down the Thames. It is offered with the opportunity to purchase a 10-year license with option to renew.

Cadogan Pier, Chelsea
£1,000,000
In a licensed mooring just minutes from the King’s Road in Chelsea, this three-bedroom houseboat has open-plan living, spacious front and rear decks and a sunken swimming pool.

Lightermans Walk, Wandsworth
£825 per week
For those who would rather rent than buy, this three-bedroom houseboat has a 70ft roof terrace, two reception rooms – one with a double-height ceiling and a wood burning stove –  and two bathrooms. It comes with an underground parking space and use of the gym and swimming pool at Prospect Quay.

There’s something very quintessentially British about those picture-perfect Cotswold houses – like Wimbledon, Big Ben or the Queen, these pretty properties are national treasures. Their distinctive sandy-coloured stone can be seen dotted all over the Cotswolds. If you are lucky enough to call one of them home, then you are one enviable homeowner indeed.

Pioneer of the production line, Henry Ford, seemed to think so. Not content with buying just one Cotswold cottage, he went a step further. He tried to buy an entire row of them – Arlington Row in the village of Bibury.

Apparently Ford wanted to ship them back to Michigan to include them in his historical theme park. He was unsuccessful in his attempt however, and instead had to settle for a cottage from Chedworth. Still, that one must have been something special too – deconstructing a house and rebuilding it on the other side of the Atlantic isn’t something you do on a whim.

Arlington Row, which narrowly escaped such a fate, was built from local stone in the 14th century and originally used as a monastic wool store. It was converted into weavers’ cottages in the 17th century, and is now owned by the National Trust – which should protect it from any other over-enthusiastic bidders who might have their eye on buying the whole lot.

The village of Bibury is steeped in history too – William Morris, who had a summer home nearby, declared it “the most beautiful village in England”.

Morris and Ford are not the only ones who fell in love with the Cotswolds – we’re pretty smitten with the houses there as well. If you’re tempted too, check out the homes below. From quaint cottages to rambling country houses, here’s our pick of the properties on the market at the moment – all in that wonderful Cotswold stone.

Fyfield

This Grade II-Listed detached Cotswold stone property has four bedrooms, flagstone floors, exposed timbers and open fireplaces. Its idyllic setting includes mature gardens and views across the countryside and the River Leach. It’s on the market for £1,000,000.

Cirencester

Usquebaugh Cottage, another Grade II-Listed traditional Cotswold property, was originally a series of four cottages that date back to the early 18^th century. Alterations were made in the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries, but many period features remain. This four-bedroom, three-reception-room property is on the market for £747,500.

Eastleach

This pretty four-bedroom terraced cottage is located in the heart of a rural Cotswold village. It’s for sale for £499,000.

In the past, chapels were dotted around the UK in abundance, and were busy buildings serving the needs of a regular bunch of local parishioners. Things have changed, however, and many small chapels are no longer able to keep going, due to dwindling numbers. As the buildings have become redundant, many have been sold off to become private houses.

Although perhaps not an idea loved by everyone, at least selling off the chapel buildings has allowed some of their charm, architecture and original features to be preserved, rather than being left to deteriorate and fall into ruins. In fact, many of the chapels have been converted exceedingly well and have become stunning homes in their own right.

If you want to convert a chapel yourself, then you need to be aware of the potential issues surrounding listed buildings. Many chapels have of course already been converted – often into truly stunning homes – and buying a ready converted property at least means you don’t have to face the job of converting it yourself!

Converted chapels on the market

Aby, Lincolnshire
In the village of Aby, in Lincolnshire, you could purchase this Victorian chapel which has been converted into a four-bedroom house.

Many of the original features of the chapel have been retained, including Gothic arched windows and doors.

Under its Welsh slate roof, the property boasts an impressive entrance hallway and a large open-plan first-floor lounge. The chapel also comes with a lake, orchard and woodland. It’s on the market for £499,000.

East Grinstead, West Sussex
This stunning property in East Grinstead, West Sussex, was originally the chapel in the Old Convent.

A Grade I-listed convent, it was of important architectural and historical interest and the conversion, in the 1980s, was undertaken sensitively, in order to preserve as many of the original features as possible.

The four-bedroom, four-bathroom house has impressive Gothic arches, a stained-glass window, a pulpit, two large stone fireplaces and a fab old oak staircase, which was salvaged from the Bishop of Lincoln’s Palace. £995,000.

Mayfield, Kent
This is a home that definitely makes you go ‘wow.’ The Grade II-listed chapel in Mayfield, Kent, has been restored to form a two-bedroom apartment.

It has retained its stunning stained-glass windows, stone carvings and gold patterned ceilings, and the new additions have been added in a way that doesn’t deter from the original aspects.

The building is light and airy, with a spiral staircase leading up to a mezzanine with two en-suite bathrooms. Downstairs, there’s a modern kitchen and large open-plan living area. An amazing conversion, it’s on the market for £1,300,000.

Gertrude Jekyll is famous for her garden designs. And rightly so:  they’re pretty stunning.

She designed over 400 in her time and she’s generally acclaimed as a remarkable colourist and as a champion of a less formal Arts & Crafts style.

Here are some lucky homes currently on the market that come with their very own Jekyll garden (click the pics to view the full details)

York

This home is a bit of a double-whammy. Of course, the garden is designed by Jekyll, but the house itself was designed by the architect Walter Brierley.

It’s not often that two different worlds of design meet so effortlessly, and the combination here makes for a really stunning property.

The eight bedrooms and two acres are just a bonus. This is a status property. £1.75 million pounds worth of status.

Surrey

Ok, a communal garden might not be your ideal scenario, but there are communal gardens and then there are Jekyll-designed communal grounds running to 15 gorgeous acres of landscaped loveliness.

The property itself is rather wonderful too – a large and beautifully presented wing of a refurbished mansion with soaring ceilings, ornate plaster work, panelled walls and high windows looking out over that fantastic garden.

The house comes with four bedrooms, one/two reception rooms, three bathrooms and the kind arcadian peace and quiet that, in this part of the world, commands a guide price of £1,450,000.

Buckinghamshire

This property is my favourite.

The gardens themselves are a bit of an enigma; they may have been designed by Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens but no one is absolutely certain.

The added mystery appeals to me. So do the vast reception rooms and four bedrooms.

If I had a spare £1,150,000 in the bank…

Surrey

Ok, this one doesn’t have a garden designed by Jekyll, but it is her childhood home and it features a beautifully picturesque garden complete with a bubbling millstream, cascading waterfall, leat and fishpond.

A wooden bridge with a pergola of climbing roses crosses the stream to the vegetable garden, and to the rear of the house a secluded courtyard is bounded by lawns and a range of ornamental trees and shrubs.

Further away from the house are areas of wild garden and wet woodland which provide the perfect habitat for a wide range of wildlife.

With this as a formative inspiration, it’s hardly surprising that Jekyll went on to become one of the most influential gardeners in the history of British horticulture. £1,250,000 and it’s yours.

I’ll let you into a secret: Those things you put in the bath to make them into jacuzzis are rubbish.

They don’t work, they get in the way and you’ll use them once before you get bored. So if you’re going to do something, do it right. Here are some properties that’ll add a little bit of luxury to your bathtime.

London

This one-bedroom flat is not only in a great part of south London (Crystal Palace), it’s in a lovely property too.

And for £149,950 you could certainly do a lot worse.

It’s even got oak floors. But most importantly, it’s got a jacuzzi bath.

I’m tempted by this one myself. I can’t see it sticking around for very long so move quickly if you want to take a look.

Nottingham

This place is pretty spectacular. I know we’re meant to be looking for jacuzzis, and this five-bedroom home in Nottingham has one of those, but it’s also got a swimming pool as well! Hooray!

Sure, it’s not exactly budget friendly, but £300,000 for a five-bed home with all of the fancy trimmings is a very good price indeed. Need anymore convincing? Take a look at that garden.

Bristol

This Georgian styled property is great. It’s not a huge home, so if you were looking for a two-bed place with space for an office or studio, this would work very well.

It’s pretty, in a good area and on the market for £199,950. And that jacuzzi looks lovely too. Brilliant.

Manchester

If you’re looking for a one-bedroom flat that’s perfect for commuting into the city, this Manchester pad could be perfect.

As the flat is part of a complex, you get access to a gym and swimming pool.

You don’t have a jacuzzi in the flat itself, but there is one in the swanky fitness centre. I guess for £137,000 you have to pick your battles.

More and more people are getting into gardening and ‘growing your own’ seem to the buzz words of the season. One of the great things about gardening is that gardens can be created in both small and large spaces – even if you live in an apartment and only have limited room on a balcony, you can still grow flowers, plants, vegetables or herbs in containers.

Not all houses have gardens, especially when based in city locations, and if you live in a flat, you’re often lucky to have any outside space. However, if you’re keen to have somewhere to put your green-fingered skills into action, one possibility is to look out for somewhere with a roof garden. Roof gardens are a great way of fully making use of all the available space, offer you the chance to create your own leafy haven and can be used to successfully grow all manner of plants.

Feeling inspired? Here’s a round-up of properties up for sale that all feature roof gardens in the package.

Located in the Holland Park area of London, this three storey house is a prime example of how a roof garden adds the finishing touch to contemporary living. The stylishly designed house has three bedrooms and a good sized roof garden, for outside dining or gardening. It’s priced at £1,495,000.

This three bedroom flat in the W5 area of London not only benefits from three bedrooms, a conservatory, double garage and parking, but it also has a roof garden too. It’s on the market for £675,000.

If you’re not much of a gardener yourself, but wouldn’t mind use of a roof garden, then this two bedroom apartment in a warehouse conversion in Central Chiswick benefits from having a communal roof garden. It’s on the market for £599,950.

Another nice communal roof garden, with plenty of seating for unwinding at the end of a long day, can be found at this two bedroom apartment at Wharfside, Birmingham. The apartment includes hard and soft furnishings and is priced at £189,000.

This duplex apartment with three bedrooms, located in the Gloucestershire town of Stroud boasts not one, but two roof gardens. The large, open plan apartment makes full use of natural light and space and offers plenty of opportunity for budding gardens to make their mark. It’s priced at £269,950.

An architect designed four bedroom (all en suite) house in the Dartmoor village of South Brent, Devon is on the market for £535,000. Finished to a high standard, it benefits from having a courtyard and decked roof terrace gardens, with plenty of space for growing plants and enjoying a spot of sun.

Finally, in the Tobacco Wharf area of Liverpool, a two bedroom top floor duplex apartment is up for sale. French doors from the dining room lead out onto a good sized roof garden and sun terrace. It’s priced at £155,000.