Eat Your Way Through the Backyard: $5.9M SoCal Estate Is a Garden Paradise

An admittedly striking property in Escondido, CA, “will change you forever,” the listing insists. And since the place reportedly once provided enough produce to fill a grocery store, maybe that claim isn’t just real estate hyperbole.

“I thought it was the best house I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” says listing agent Sabrina Covington, of Covington & Associates, recalling the first time she saw the place. “The land itself is so unique, with the walking paths and garden.”

The 3,894-square-foot home, which was built in 1987, is listed for $5,990,000.

The five-tier, organic garden on a 2.3-acre lot once harvested all the produce for a market the current homeowner previously operated. Apples, bananas, aloe vera, berries, figs, peaches, pears, plums, Meyer lemons, pomegranate, grapefruit, avocado, lime, and grapes are among the delights grown on the property.

“The garden is animal-proof and irrigated, so I think someone with any inkling of gardening could probably do very well there,” Covington says.

Rob Wellington Quigley, known for sustainable architecture, designed the place.

“The seller is one of the most unique people I have ever known,” Covington says. “She sees the home in a certain light and knows what she thinks it is worth.”

The house has four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, one of which made a real impression on Covington.

“It’s going to sound really odd that the downstairs bathroom is one of my favorites,” she admits, with a laugh. “It’s really trending now to have a really epic bathroom. It has green-speckled travertine, floor to ceiling. It has a globe light in it. It’s just kind of an experience bathroom.”

‘Modern maximalism’

Covington observes that the home’s unique character combines modern design with what she calls “Southern clutter.”

“It’s modern maximalism, I would maybe call it,” she says, adding that the seller took a lot of pride in the home’s aesthetic.

Garden designer Anthony Archer-Wills flew in from Europe to create the water-garden area.

“The dogs kind of run around it, and it is a water element with a waterfall and rocks that separate it from the pool,” Covington says.

The homeowner refers to the water feature as “the bog.”

Inside, glass walls overlook the scenic San Pasqual Valley.

“I kind of have fun watching people walk in” Covington says, adding that the kitchen sometimes leaves people “speechless.”

She explains that the owner is parting with the place because she’s ready to downsize.

“Escondido is very up-and-coming as a city,” Covington remarks. “There’s a lot happening here. [The perfect buyer] “is someone that wants to stay in SoCal and stay warm but be away from the hustle and bustle.”

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