Lucys Hidden Garden

Lucys Hidden Garden is on Kensington Gardens and the name is the point: a lush courtyard garden with wicker chairs, a birdbath and a stone path, flowering climbers up the wall and everything else arranged around it.

The house opens onto that courtyard from several sides, and a covered patio with wicker chairs faces into the leaves. There is parking. Pets are allowed.

Country kitchen, antique dresser

The kitchen is the strongest room here: cream cabinetry round a central island, a built-in oven, open shelving stacked with colourful glassware, an antique dresser against one wall, and a sink beneath a window looking straight out into the green. The living areas run open plan, cream sofas with a glass coffee table and the dining table past them, and a second sitting room has a fireplace and a display cabinet. A small laundry nook holds a wicker basket.

White iron bed, French doors

The bedrooms open into the same green: a white iron bed with French doors standing open to the garden, a queen with a bookshelf beside the window. There are two bathrooms, one with a white vessel sink and mosaic tile trim, the other a shower enclosure with planting close outside it.

The courtyard itself

The courtyard is paved and planted hard, wicker chairs set among it, a birdbath, climbers flowering along the wall. The covered patio faces into the leaves from one side. There is an outdoor fireplace, a braai and a sun terrace, and babysitting can be arranged.

Kensington Gardens and out

This is the inland part of the island, gardens and hedges rather than water. The Armstrong Road causeway carries everything on and off. Steenbok Nature Reserve runs the northern edge, free and open at all hours. Our island walkthrough covers what is worth doing.

Suits people who

Are a couple, or a small family with a dog, and want to sit in a garden and cook in a good kitchen.