Sabrina Covington, a listing agent with Covington & Associates, recalls the first time she saw the place saying, "I thought it was the best house I'd ever seen in my life." The land itself is unique, with walking trails and gardens.

The 3,894-square-foot home was built in 1987 and is listed for $5.99 million.

The five-story organic garden on 2.3 acres used to provide all the produce for a market previously run by the current owner. Apples, bananas, aloe vera, berries, figs, peaches, pears, plums, Meyer lemons, pomegranates, grapefruit, avocados, limes and grapes are among the delicacies grown here.

The garden is animal-proof and has an irrigation system that I think anyone with gardening experience could grow well here, Covington said.

Rob Wellington Quigley is known for designing sustainable buildings.

"The seller is one of the most unique people I know," Covington said. She saw the house from a certain perspective and knew what she thought it was worth.

The house has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, one of which impressed Covington.

She admits with a laugh, "The downstairs bathroom is one of my favourite bathrooms, as strange as that sounds. It's all the rage right now to have an epic bathroom. It's green flecked travertine from floor to ceiling. There's a globe light in there. It's literally an experiential bathroom."

According to Covington, the home's uniqueness lies in its combination of modern design with what she calls "Southern clutter."

"I would call it modern minimalism," she says, adding that the sellers are very proud of the home's aesthetic design.

Garden designer Anthony Archer-Wills flew in from Europe to design the water garden area.

Dogs run around it, says Covington, and it is a water element with a waterfall and rocks that separates it from the pool.

The homeowners refer to the water feature as a "swamp."

Inside, walls of glass overlook the scenic San Pasqual Valley.

Covington says, "It's fun to watch people walk in." She added that the kitchen can be "dumbed down" at times.

She explained that the owner is leaving the place because she is ready to downsize.

"Escondido is an up-and-coming city," Covington said." There's a lot happening here. [The perfect buyer] "is someone who wants to stay in Southern California and stay warm, but also get away from the hustle and bustle."