Dress your front door with a stylish knocker

If you’ve got a front garden, then the look of your door matters. There’s no point maintaining neat borders and a uniform length lawn when they’re set off by cracked paint, grubby handprints and a “no junk mail” sign Sellotaped to the letterbox. We quite like a fancy brass knocker – keep it shiny and the neighbours will think you’re dead sophisticated. Doesn’t matter if you already have a buzzer. Belt and braces. ■

Totally tropical

This is the perfect knocker if you live in a folly. It might also be a goodie for those with tropical tastes in the garden. Get growing that papaya tree. Pineapple Door Knocker, £ 29.50, Bombay Duck ( www. bombayduck. com)