HOUSE OF THE WEEK Durrus five-bed is guiding €850,000

Chance to have your own 40-acre garden of Eden

SORTING’ the garden won’t be an issue for the new owner of this property at Dromreagh near Durrus – all the heavy lifting has been done.

As well as a most enchanting house, the 40-acre holding has been lovingly developed by its owner, garden designer Verney Naylor, over the past two decades.

Verney and her husband David have enjoyed this special property together since they purchased it in 1973.

Words or images really don’t do it justice, but it’s essentially an extended five bedroom, 3,651 sq ft cottage set on 40 acres, which is guiding €850,000.

Some stand-out features (there are too many to mention) include a traditional cottage fireplace, a master bedroom with sea views from its balcony, a flower room, and several charming reading nooks.

There’s a double garage and storage loft with access from within the house.

The property also has its own generator, solar panels and alarm systems.

Verney describes the 40 acres as an ‘informal garden’ which created over the last 20 years, merges with the surrounding landscape to give a feeling of being part of the natural world where bees, birds and butterflies are happy.

There’s a rose-filled front garden, and a courtyard garden with views to the distant Caha mountains. ‘Following the path around the building, you emerge into the west-facing Haggard Garden where your eye is drawn to Dunmanus Bay in the distance. A path leads through a lichen-covered gate to the more formal kitchen garden and orchard … from here follow the mown path eastwards through the wild flower meadow, observing the many different species of flowers and grasses. Even though not a large area, this patch is my pride and joy. Carpeted in April by cowslips and in mid-summer by buttercups, sorrel, yellow rattle, and even orchids, the meadow is a visual link to the fields beyond,’ she said.

Colm Cleary is managing the sale. For more contact him on 028-28122 or see westcorkproperty.com