At the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Westhill, the village which sits on the outskirts of Inverness, there’s a little oasis of calm.
Birds love it, bees love it, and so does Helen Jones, who has lived at Number 12 Woodside Gardens for seven years.
Green-fingered Helen has turned what was an ordinary bit of front lawn and an almost dangerously steep back garden into the most wonderful, productive and pretty garden.
No matter what the time of year, there’s always something colourful to look at thanks to her carefully planned planting scheme.
Take a peep inside her kitchen cupboards and you’ll find another bonus from her gardening skills – jars of home-made raspberry and strawberry jam, piles of fresh vegetables and a bottle or two of home-made raspberry gin.
The house, which enjoys spectacular views across the Cromarty Firth and the mountains beyond, is unusual in that it doesn’t look big from the outside.
But pass the huge blooms of red geraniums on the doorstep and step into the welcoming hall and you find yourself in a house with an enormous amount of space.
Helen, 60, said: “I grew up on a farm and lived in big farmhouses all my life, so when it came time to give up the farm life and move into the town, I wanted to find a modern house but with big, farmhouse-size rooms.
“This house was built by Druid Homes and was originally designed as a six-bedroom house with a grannie flat, but I was able to work with an architect to re-design it to the way I wanted it.”
The result is pretty amazing and the first thing visitors comment on is the size of the place, followed closely by envious remarks about the views it enjoys.
Built on a raised area, there are panoramic vistas to be enjoyed from the kitchen, family room, lounge and conservatory, and some of the bedrooms.
“Visitors say they could stand here all day and just look at the view, but you do get used to it eventually,” said Helen, who has three grown-up daughters and a son.
“There’s always something to look at, while the sunsets are just stunning.”
Like all good farmhouses, the open-plan kitchen is at the heart of the home, which is on the market at offers over £350,000.
It’s an enormous room and has a lovely, traditional feel thanks to the bespoke oak wall and storage units and Aga complete with solid oak lintel.
The kitchen end of things easily accommodates a farm-sized table and chairs, while the other end of the room, currently used as a study, could be used as a second lounge, family room or casual dining room.
From here, double doors lead to another enormous room, the formal dining room.
“Coming from a farm where you have big furniture meant we needed a big dining room – the table seats 14 easily and there’s still plenty of space for people to walk around the table,” said Helen.
Another door leads to a lovely lounge, complete with welcoming real fire and bay window with seating.
From the lounge, a door leads to a large conservatory.
“As there are doors linking all three rooms, it makes it a great space for entertaining,” said Helen.
The ground floor also has a reception hall, wc/cloakroom, large utility/boot room and door leading to a well-appointed double garage.
The house has plenty of storage space – no worries about storing vacuum cleaners or ironing boards here – but also makes good use of every inch of space.
Halfway up the stairs, for example, three large bespoke bookcases have been built in.
Upstairs, there’s a large, bright hallway and five impressive double bedrooms including two with dressing rooms and en-suite facilities.
All the bedrooms are large enough to accommodate other furniture such as sofas and desks and most enjoy fabulous views.
There’s also a luxury family bathroom, walk-in linen cupboard, and further storage space aplenty.
Outside, there’s a driveway to allow off-street parking, but it’s Helen’s handiwork that catches the eye.
“I drew up a plan of the garden then spent time considering what would be planted where and when as I wanted to have a riot of colour all year round,” said Helen. “There’s David Austin roses in shades of pink and yellow, which have a wonderful smell, while the shrubs were planted to create wonderful colours in the autumn.
“As the garden was so steep, I terraced it, which took a lot of time, but that meant I could make full use of it.
“Even though it’s a small space, I managed to get 42lbs of rasps this year and 14lbs of apples, plus plenty of gooseberries and blackcurrants and strawberries.
“I also grow beetroot and curly kale along with herbs such as thyme, mint, sage and parsley.
“There were no birds here when I first moved in, but now the garden is full of them.”
At the bottom of the garden, there’s also a kennel and dog run, although one suspects Rosie the chocolate lab spends most of her time warming herself in front of the Aga.
“It’s been a great home and I’ve loved living here, but I’ve decided to move back to Cheshire where I’m originally from, as that will mean I’m closer to my family who now work and live elsewhere.”
Contact: Strutt and Parker on 01463 719171.