Flower Power boss’s widow sells favourite house

The fourth wife of the late founder of Flower Power has made an unexpected bid for $8.5 million following a longstanding battle.

16 Illya Ave, Bayview has an $8.5m price guide.

Claudia Sammut, the widow of Flower Power founder Nick Sammut, is selling the home that he loved the most.

“Nick had a number of houses, some more luxurious than this but his heart was in this home and he always said this was his favourite,” she said.

The man who started the garden store business Flower Power in 1968 and built it into a multi-million-dollar company with 10 garden centres in NSW purchased 16 Ilya Ave, Bayview in 1996 for $900,000.

It has now come to market with a $8.5m-plus guide.

MORE:

English lord sells $12m Aussie home

Claudia Sammut and her late husband, Nick Sammut.

The property last traded for $900k in 1996.

The guide now is $8.5m.

Nick met his fourth wife Claudia in Malta in 2001 and they married at the Sydney home in 2009 overlooking Pittwater.

Nick died in 2018 aged 81 and his business passed down to the next generation. A complex dispute over the division of Nick’s entire estate ended up in the Supreme Court and in 2021 a court order granted Claudia ownership of the Bayview home.

Four years later Claudia feels the house is too big for her and she would like to downsize in the area.

“I have become Australian, love it here and would like to go back to painting and playing my violin,” she said.

The four-bedroom house with self-contained flat and a separate garden studio is on 4148sqm of land and has commanding views across Pittwater to Newport and beyond.

Views across Pitwater to Newport and beyond.

The four-bedroom house is on a massive 4148sqm block.

There is an elegant wraparound verandah making the most of the northeast aspect, an Italian granite kitchen, main bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, hardwood floors, reverse cycle air conditioning, a Vergola-covered terrace and undercover parking for two cars.

Outside there are manicured and irrigated gardens, level access, secure gated entrance, guest parking and a solar panel system with battery.

Claudia said Nick knew the importance of choosing a well-positioned property.

“He was one of twelve children, grew up in a poor family but he so appreciated this home and garden. I have memories of him watering the garden smoking a cigar and being so relaxed. His heart was in this home,” she said.

Tara Jaijee, of McGrath Pittwater, said the property is suited to family living or even multi-generational living. It has an expressions of interest campaign closing Monday May 19.

Originally published as Flower Power boss’s widow sells favourite house