Few houses can claim to have part of a garden which won a silver medal in the Chelsea Flower Show.
In 2005, Fiona Whooley persuaded husband Colm, who was at the time working with Sisk, to sponsor Diarmuid Gavin's entry to the show – which became known as Hanover Quay Gardens.
After the win, the bulk of the gardens were moved to their new home at Hanover Quay – which was under construction by Sisk. One of the three tonne futuristic pods, superfluous to the Quay garden, made its way to Foxrock to become an unusual feature in the front garden of 59 Beech Park Road.
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The Whooleys, after returning from Brussels 12 years ago, purchased their current home which they renovated, adding an extension to the rear, bringing the total floor space to 238sq m (2,562sq ft).
Heart of the home
The extension is now the heart of the home. A vast L-shaped space incorporating a high-end Pronorm kitchen with high gloss units and Fisher & Paykel appliances lies beside a dining area with solid oak flooring, and leads to a family living area, complete with an integrated gas log fire.
The entire area has a wall of windows and two sets of French windows looking out onto what is the real selling point of this house – the rear garden. Developed by Fiona Whooley, this is quite an amazing feat for an amateur gardener and features a sunken garden, with meandering pathways though herbaceous borders overlooked by giant Echium festooned with blue spikes.
A pond surrounded by a black limestone patio was featured on the nature programme Mooney Goes Wild as it has become a haven for breeding frogs in spring. The spawn are under the watchful eye of the family's dog Clive, protected from a brass-necked visiting heron. To the front of the property lies a formal oak floored living room with wonderful views to the Gavin garden, and a study sits adjacent. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, two of which are en-suite.
59 Beech Park Road is for sale through Hunters with an asking price of €995,000. New owners will have a substantial family home in turn-key condition, with stunning gardens and a little nature reserve in the heart of Dublin 18.
