A 'secret' gem...

Some properties make you sinful; they make you uncontrollably covet what is not yours.

This unique architectural and naturally abundant gem in Janabiya is one of those.

From the moment I walked through its unassuming entrance I was hooked.

"Everyone falls in love with this place," revealed the current owner. "The minute I saw it I called my husband and said meet me here, I've found the place."

A pretty wooden door opens up onto a vast secret garden that is bursting with trees and plants. There are 36 mature date-producing palms, dozens of lemon trees, mango trees and banana palms, interspersed with frangipani, bougainvillea and even grape vines.

Birds sing in the leafy canopy through which shafts of sunlight dapple the earthen floor.

From the moment you step inside this beautiful garden the temperature drops a full 10 degrees, the air feels cleaner and a million miles from the congested highways of Bahrain.

"When we came here it was completely wild," explained the owner. "The grass was waist-high."

She and her husband transformed the garden, which totals the best part of an acre into an oasis of fertility.

They built pretty walkways that circumnavigate the garden. Small labels on the trunks of trees say what species they are so that when the palms are cut back twice a year the gardeners know which is which.

Fruit can be plucked directly from the trees. Giant lemons weigh down branches and date harvests are always plentiful.

"The mangoes taste unbelievable, I freeze them there are so many," said the owner.

There are stone archways and balustrades that give the garden an understated elegance.

There is a colonial feel to the property, which wouldn't be out of place in a Merchant Ivory film.

The original swimming pool is camouflaged in a raised corner of the garden and is used as an irrigation tank to supply water to the trees.

Tucked away in the corner of the property is the attractive Mediterranean-style villa. In front of the house is a good-sized swimming pool, half of which is shaded by a cover, and is surrounded by a sun terrace. Just beyond is another terraced area with large wooden seats. It has the feel of a majlis with the leaves of the trees providing shade.

"I used this as a barbeque and dining area to have food with friends," said the owner. "At night it's beautiful because there are spotlights beneath the date palms that light up the trees."

A flower-covered trellis leads to the front door of the property, which since the owners relocated to a larger property a few years ago, has been used as a clinic.

It is an incredibly versatile property that could be used for either commercial or residential purposes.

"I could see this place as the most incredible restaurant," said the owner.

Originally a beautiful three bedroom villa, the house has only been cosmetically affected by its transformation into a clinic.

There are temporary partitions in the rooms, but knocked through, the primary reception room is large with three archways that open onto another two reception areas. There are pretty windows that look onto the swimming pool and garden beyond.

There are beamed wooden ceilings and throughout the house there is beautiful porcelain flooring.

To the left of the main living room is another room which was used as a family room.

At the back of the property is a lovely kitchen with French windows leading to the swimming pool. The kitchen is attractive with a large central marble covered unit. It is fully kitted out with a double decked cooker, large range, ovens, high-end white goods and plenty of storage and room for a large kitchen table. There is also a large useful utility room.

Outside there are two sets of staff quarters, complete with showers and kitchens.

An utterly unique property which offers the very best in outdoor living, this is the kind of place that begs to be viewed - if only to lust to after.