Ah, high summer on the way, England in the World Cup, Yorkshire in the cricket and hopes of barbecue weather… just the time of the year for garden parties (or at the very least relaxing in your own space).

Which is why we’ve turned our attention this week to homes with gardens.

And, speaking of sport, you could have a cricket match of your very own in the garden of the splendid Sorrell House in rural Hirst Courtney. This is a spacious detached house that, while being in the country, is handy for major motorway networks. On offer internally is a lounge with feature fireplace, dining room, large kitchen/breakfast room (with electric hob, oven, dishwasher and fridge) a utility room with washing machine and shower room. There is a large master bedroom with hi-tech shower, three further bedrooms (two with fitted wardrobes) and family bathroom.

And now we come to the gardens – not only are they big and beautiful but there is a gardening service included – how great is that! It’s on offer with Martin and Co at £850pcm.

If it is lots and lots of outside space you are after then our next property, Forest Croft, is the one for you. This is a four/five-bedroom detached property with substantial mature gardens, two stables and paddock (how much outside space do you want!).

Situated less than eight miles from York city centre, it offers a large lounge/dining room, conservatory, bedroom/study, wet room and WC. To the first floor are three further bedrooms with en-suite and dressing room to the master bedroom. All in all, there is some 1.7 acres of land on offer here along with a double garage, further single garage and workshop. It’s with Ashtons at £1,750pcm.

Letters of Distinction offered us two very different properties – but both with good gardens. The first is a traditional three-bed semi in Albion Avenue, York. Two of the bedrooms are doubles, the third a single. There is a fitted kitchen, lounge and separate dining room, which has patio doors leading to the rear garden (and a very nice garden, too, with a raised decking area, graveled areas, lawns and mature trees and shrubs). It is offered at £750 pcm.

Beaconsfield House, at Tockwith, meanwhile, is a traditional Victorian home in the centre of the village with an untraditional amount of land for a house of this kind. To the front of the house are wrought-iron gates on a dwarf walled garden. To the side is a private drive with remote electric wrought-iron gates on a York stone driveway, and to the back is an acre of landscaped gardens and useful outbuildings. The house itself has three reception rooms, a kitchen with oven, hob, dishwasher, fridge and waste disposal unit, a utility room with plumbing for a washing machine and cloakroom/WC. Of the four double bedrooms two have en-suite bathrooms. It is offered at £1,695pcm.

If you have a nice garden it’s also quite nice to have a conservatory to look out from – and our next selection, at Dower Park, Escrick, has a brilliant example. A four-bedroomed family home which offers a front reception room, study/snug, dining room, dining kitchen, master bedroom with en-suite shower room and fitted wardrobes, it also has a super conservatory looking out over very pleasant gardens featuring mature trees, shrubs, lawn and flower beds. Very attractive and offered at £1,350pcm by Linley and Simpson.

The same letting agents have a top-quality home, Badgers Rake, at Tollerton, an unfurnished six-bedroomed detached house which has a huge amount of living space to offer, including a large sitting room with patio doors, a dining room, office, modern kitchen with fridge freezer, dishwasher, range cooker and microwave, breakfast room, utility room with washing machine and dryer and garden room with Jacuzzi and patio doors overlooking the rear garden. To the first floor there is a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two double bedrooms sharing a Jack and Jill bathroom with shower, a further double bedroom with en-suite shower room and bedroom six/playroom. On the second floor there is a master suite with dressing room and modern en-suite bathroom. The house and grounds sit behind secure electric gates and there is a double garage and large landscaped gardens. The rental is £1,800pcm.

Another big and beautiful house is offered by Arena Letting – in the shape of Willowside, The Green, Skipwith. This is an impressive and substantial five-bedroom detached family house situated in a fantastic position overlooking the village.

Highlights here include a full-width sitting room with patio doors to rear garden and patio, dining room, breakfast kitchen with appliances and large utility off. To the first floor is the master bedroom and en-suite with separate shower cubicle, four further double bedrooms and family bathroom. The garden factor comes with a lovely rear enclosed lawned garden with patio area. The rental is £1,750pcm.

Finally, Copleys prove that you can find delightful garden spaces even in the centre of the city. They have a modern two-bed semi in Monkgate Cloisters, a quiet area off Monkgate. The house offers a kitchen with good quality floor and wall units and integrated appliances including electric oven, gas hob, dishwasher, fridge-freezer, auto washer/drier and microwave. There is a lounge/dining room with highly contemporary decor and wall to wall bookcases and patio doors to a very pleasant Japanese-style walled garden.

The rental is £750pcm.