Standing in the garden of Hickory Ridge, a tiny bungalow in the middle of The Burnaby, on a sunny Spring morning, the world around ceases to be. The only sounds are those of song birds; the only sights are of shrubs and flowering plants and, beyond, the mature gardens and trees of nearby properties.
It is an oasis of calm beauty.
There are few enough small homes in The Burnaby and Hickory Ridge may well be the only two-bedroom one. It is an ideal step down property, ideal too for doing up (the interior is somewhat tired) or, possibly, making a clean sweep of it and building from scratch.
What’s there now has its own story. The house, which is in overall good condition, was built in 1974 on a site of 0.26 acres, carved from the tennis court of the adjoining home, Craan, a substantial Burnaby property.
The little bungalow was home to professor Charles Schoeppler and his wife Iris who made the very most of the plot, winning many prizes for what are, truly, delightful gardens, front and rear.
There are colourful and flowering plants aplenty – heathers and agapanthus, roses, two shades of magnolia, camellia, mimosa, and pieris – a pair of fruit trees that belonged originally to Craan, plus well-kept lawns and patios, front and rear.
Steep slope
The properties on the north side of Whitshed Road are all built at the top of a fairly steep slope. Cleverly, the Schoepplers raised the ground in front of their mid-slope bungalow with the result that the south-facing front garden is flat, secluded and takes maximum advantage of all day sunshine.
And when the sun isn’t out, a front-facing lean-to conservatory is inviting.
From the conservatory, one enters the living room. Its partial timber-clad walls have an old-fashioned feel to them measured against today’s tastes. But the room is a good size, with a fireplace and windows to the front and side.
Off the living room is the kitchen (small, though bright and adequate but also in need of modernisation) with a side entrance from the driveway. The bathroom is a little tired and in need of modernisation while the two double bedrooms – one to the front, one to the rear – each have built-in wardrobes.
Outside, there is a garage for one car and an adjoining boiler-house-cum-utility room with work bench. The rear garden is on two levels – a patio immediately behind the house and then, up a few steps, a lawn and those fruit trees.
Hickory Ridge was named by Prof Schoeppler, a German-American, after a treasured book and he and his wife clearly loved the little home in which they spent their declining years.
Fresh TLC administered by a new owner would easily inject vibrancy once more into the interior. Those with greater ambition could extend the house, probably without great difficulty to the side and rear where there is ample space to expand.
Beyond that, the plot size could cramp more substantial ambitions.
Hickory Ridge will be auctioned by Sherry FitzGerald on May 25th. The AMV is €640,000
