Before our work together, this property underwent a major transformation: the existing beach cottage was completely renovated and a large accessory dwelling unit was added. 

This property presented two unique challenges: 

First, the owners envisioned a lush landscape of fruit trees, a vegetable garden, and beautiful flowers. The addition of a second home, however, left little land to plant. I was tasked with creating a big feeling in a very small space.

Second, the property sits on a corner and below street level, so it felt like a fishbowl. The owners love their neighbors, so while they need some privacy, they still wanted a strong connection to the neighborhood.

To address the first challenge, we divided the property into individual garden spaces, eliminated unnecessary hardscape, then planted every possible inch:  

• The front garden has two distinct zones, an upper terrace and a lower patio
• The driveway was converted to onsite parking, wrapped in a low fence to hide the cars
• The side yard became a vegetable garden where the owners practice their gardening skills
• Between the main house and the back house are flowery borders and fruit trees
• The back house has a private meadow and a beautiful stone water feature
• Even the small passage between the buildings is its own space, filled with plants that tolerate and bloom in dry shade 
• All plants are drought resilient and climate adapted; many are regional natives  

To address the second challenge, we fenced both side streets with gorgeous, horizontal hardwood slats, strategically spaced a few inches apart to suggest connection to the outside, yet offering privacy. The fence is more a psychological barrier than a visual one.  

In front, we kept the perimeter fence low and created two distinct garden elevations. The upper elevation is planted in shrubs and trees that create lacy layers that screen views but are not a dense hedge. The lower elevation is a well-used patio and fire ring.

The hardscape was the most fun part of this project. The owners’ parents gifted them geodes, shells and beach glass collected from years of travel. “Can we use them in the garden?” they asked. My dear friend, artist Betsy Schulz graciously showed us how to incorporate the materials into poured concrete paths, patio, fireplace, and a seating bench. 

All plants were chosen for their beauty, drought tolerance, color, and eco-system services.