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Nick Churton of Mayfair International Realty took a trip to Paradise when he visited a heavenly property overlooking the ocean near Santa Barbara, California which is being handled by Village Properties.

A great time to be in Southern California is May and early June when the jacaranda trees burst into an intense violet and the bougainvillea a dazzling cerise. Along with many other colourful varieties these trees and shrubs line the roadways and festoon lush gardens.

A good example is Rancho El Rincon which is sandwiched between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean at Carpinteria, near Santa Barbara, California. But what a sandwich it is. The Santa Ynez Mountains act as a dramatic backdrop while the ocean provides a brilliant blue apron with sensational sunsets.

The present owners are gardeners and serious flower growers. It shows: from the beautiful formal rose gardens to the informal riot of tropical large-leafed plants that raggedly edge the path to the pool and surround the outside kitchen and dining area – de rigeur in this part of the world. Beside the pool is a charming piece of Hollywood. The original owner/builder – film producer, screenwriter and film editor, E Lloyd Sheldon – chose Carpinteria for a home in the 1930s, as he wanted a quiet retreat from LA. But he couldn’t quite leave all the tinsel behind. He salvaged a Tiki house that had been built for a movie set and transported it to this poolside. Thus bringing a little piece of the South Pacific to the East Pacific.

But all this is only an overture to the main house, which is perfectly orientated to enjoy all the area’s natural bounties, and beautifully planned to provide an elegant, relaxed Californian lifestyle. Bedrooms with wide and shady balconies, airy living rooms with large picture windows, a spacious, well-equipped chef’s kitchen, two charming garden-side guest bedrooms and much more all combine to create a sumptuous house within a privacy-giving 7 acre garden.

In the Tiki house is a timeworn hanging sign that says ‘Welcome To Paradise’. But you don’t really need a sign to remind you that you’re already there.