This saltwater pond and coastal retreat’s landscape design objective was to make harmonious transitions between its raw tidal shoreline and dramatic glacial till woodland. Situated at the woodland’s edge, outdoor rooms were created within a trellised brick paved terrace, framed by fieldstone stepping stones that draw you closer to mammoth rock outcroppings. This multi-purpose rustic “veranda” established a base for the building within its sloping hillside to capitalize on 180-degree oceanfront views. Crushed stone fine paths, graced with Creeping Thyme and flowering Mazus, make connections to an arrival court and rear courtyard shade gardens.

The woodland’s spatial confines were resolved through a sequence of small courtyard spaces framed by both the man-made structures and the natural rock outcroppings. As an antidote, the waterside’s generous open spaces were celebrated by a sloping lawn, framed by flowering native meadow perennials and grasses that embrace the expansive coastal views.