A legacy to love
At Lemon Grove, grace and history stand tall, with elegant architecture, breathtaking harbour views, and a century-old beech tree anchoring its story.
words JO FERRIS
Heritage and sentiment share a natural synergy – history ever present in this home’s journey through time; as each owner added new chapters along the way.
Known to many who live in and around Lemon Grove Avenue, the towering beech tree gracing this home’s entry is seen far and wide. If trees could only talk, memories would run deep.
As it turns out, memories not only run deep, they stretch around the world – to England, where the son of this home’s developer still remembers his early childhood here. Built in 1932 for a Mr Knowles, this English engineer had moved to New Zealand to follow his dream to grow lemons on this Ōtūmoetai site.
Originally covering some 30 acres, this address was named accordingly. A far cry from what exists now, the house started out as a single-level farmhouse in solid stucco with a terracotta tile roof.
After the birth of her son, Mrs Knowles planted a beech tree when he was two years old. Sadly, she missed England so much, the family returned home a year later. Despite his youth, the son never forgot the home; missing it his entire life – even making visits over the years to see the dramatic changes it underwent.
Now two levels – the second storey was added in the ‘40s by a Dr Kenney, who used the house as a surgery and convalescent home. The next owners subdivided and sold the surrounding land – adding their own mark to the property with a swimming pool, creating a large terrace and loggia at the same time.
As the beech tree grew, the grounds were developed and nurtured over the years to resemble the formality of an English country garden with hedgerows, specimen trees and wisteria.
Records also show that the home has been used for a knitting business and at one point was split into three flats.
The current owners fell in love the moment they saw this home nine years ago – lured by the landmark towering beech; but also, the size and scale of the property, plus the harbour view to Mauao and beyond.
Having lived overseas for many years, they wanted to return to New Zealand to continue raising their family. The space was vastly different from what they had left – a house of substance and around 1600 square metres of grounds, offering the sheltered privacy of a pool, gardens and large playground lawn for cricket and croquet. North-facing and elevated, the sweeping harbour panorama can be seen from every room, bar the laundry.
Impressive in its design, the solid rimu kitchen with its marble benches is a standout. Elegant living areas revolve around entertainment and link to the outdoors and terrace settings. A study, guest bedroom, heritage bathroom and laundry sit downstairs, while the ensuite master retreat and three more bedrooms sit upstairs – all basking in the stunning views.
Joining this home’s handful of owners who have loved life here, the time has come to pass the heritage on to another family. Every owner has done something to the home – either dramatically through extension; or cosmetically.
Committed to maintaining the home’s character, these vendors have redecorated throughout – preparing its upkeep with respect and mindful of its essence. A particularly poignant aspect concerns a letter these owners now have as a reminder of that little three-year old who never forgot this home. Now in his 80s, upon hearing a niece was coming to New Zealand, he wrote a letter for her to give to them. Just as he never forgot the home of his childhood, these owners will take their own memories with them – a letter in hand, marking the bond between generations and a home – history and sentiment forever intertwined.
39 Lemon Grove Avenue, Ōtūmoetai OLIVERROADBAYOFPLENTY.COM
