Bungalow in a comfortable habitat is almost too hot to handle

THERE’S something hot about Braemore and its gardens.

The 1930s bungalow is on Cork’s Hartlands Avenue, between the Lough and UCC — and it has one of the biggest and best sites as it was built as a family home by the man who developed most of the houses on this row.

On part of the original site of a market garden and newly up for sale, Braemore is a fine, comfortable home which has retained most of its original features — among the best of these is the large suburban 0.2-acre site which is a testament to several caring and thoughtful owners who have planted it well and profusely, yet have not overly domesticated it.

The gardens have a southwesterly aspect, and back on to Lapps’ Court, a retirement home on large grounds.

Braemore’s planting is as hot as the location, and includes shrubs like pieris formosa (forest flame) cotinus coggyria (smoke bush) and pyrracantha (fire thorn) — as well as camellia, mahonia (whose berries are loved by birds), parrotia persicifolia (with spectacular autumn foliage), lots and lot of climbers, and trees like prunus tai-haku, a spectacular spring blossom-fest, myrtle, hawthorn, fruit trees including plum and pears, cornus (strawbery tree) and figs.

Meanwhile, a deliberate ‘weed’ patch keeps wildlife and butterflies happy and in residence.

The house’s new residents will be happy too, as the three-bedroomed bungalow has loads of potential to extend to the side or back; in fact, a compact-enough addition to the rear has already added to the room space available. And there’s a 500sqft attic which is beckoning for a first-floor conversion. (Many of the neighbours have already ‘gone large’ on their older homes.)

Alan Browne of Murray Browne seeks over €650,000 for the attractive home with two reception rooms, each about 13’ by 11’ and with original oak and tile fireplaces, three bedrooms (two with open fireplaces), bathroom and extended 19’ by 11’ kitchen, complete with oil-fired Aga (though central heating is via gas.)

There’s off-street car parking and a car port, although the location is within a healthy walk of Cork city centre, on a bus route, and there are local authority plans for a cycleway on Hartland’s Avenue.