House of the week: A split-level home with lush gardens in western Delaware County for $695,000

From the sunroom/greenhouse to the lush gardens on the 1.3 acres of property surrounding it, the split-level home in Thornbury Township bears the imprint of Hilary Grosskopf’s maternal grandmother. Grosskopf says there are about 50 different species of plants and trees there.

Realtor Charles Robino calls it “a little Longwood Gardens,” and it’s clearly the work of people who took gardening to its limits as a hobby.

Grosskopf, a leadership trainer in retail, is hoping that a buyer will carry on that tradition as she and her husband, who are both from the region, move to a larger home nearby in a contemporary style.

When they moved back from California in 2021 after Grosskopf’s grandparents died, it was with the idea of living in the grandparents’ three-bedroom, 2½-bath home on a corner lot while they made needed improvements to prepare it for a small family. It’s in the West Chester School District.

The house was built in 1960, and Grosskopf’s grandparents were the original owners. They installed the swimming pool and greenhouse.

Grosskopf remodeled the bathroom for the primary suite, painted the inside and outside, and installed energy-efficient windows and window treatments.

The house, which has more than 2,500 square feet, has heated flagstone floors in the foyer and lower level, with a masonry fireplace and stone hearth.

The first level has the kitchen, powder room and family room/den, and the kitchen has a propane oven-range.

The bedrooms are on the top level with two full baths.

The house is listed by Robino of Keller Williams Newark for $695,000.