Glorious gorgeous gardens
THIS WEEK: Get out in the fresh air and let your green fingers be galvanised by ....
SCOTLAND’S sparkling start to summer has drawn attention to that extra apartment we often overlook – our gorgeous gardens. Due to our ever-changing climate, the outdoor area of any house can often become an afterthought when viewing a property.
But the sunniest and driest May in more than a century has seen families drawn to the lawn to enjoy the al fresco lifestyle.
Suddenly, the couple at Number 46 have been spotted for the first time, carefully cultivating their herbaceous borders and helpfully hosing the hydrangea.
The present Scottish residential market has bountiful examples of properties boasting perfect patios and marvellous meadows.
Four miles outside the popular Aberdeenshire village of Cruden Bay lies Auchiries, a four-bedroom detached farmhouse.
The front of the house overlooks a lovely lawn, with a pretty pond at its centre. Wander on a bit and you come to a heavenly natural woodland area, eight acres in total.
An added incentive at this rural property is the original steading, which has planning permission to convert it to another house.
To the left lies a plot of land with planning permission to construct yet another property.
Moyra Cormack of selling agent Aberdein Considine has been bowled over by the beauty surrounding Auchiries.
She said: ‘The gardens of this house are absolutely beautiful and the woods are magical.
‘The attractions are obvious – lots of paths cutting through the trees, the pond, the wee bridge and the treehouse.
‘It may sound like going too far, but it’s almost like a fairy wood.’
The farmhouse itself is not short of attractions, either. The spacious lounge has windows to the front and back but the main attraction is the natural wood fire surround with cosy open fire.
At the other end of the hallway is the well-proportioned kitchen with open-plan dining area. Patio doors open onto a garden deck.
Two of the bedrooms – including the master – are on the ground floor, while the remaining two are upstairs.
There’s also a roomy pine-lined loft conversion, which could work as a home office.
Outside, in the garden, what child would not adore their very own ‘fairy wood’ with treehouse all to themselves?
Just don’t tell Nicola Sturgeon about this secret property in the garden. She might decide to slap Land and Buildings Transaction Tax on it…