For landscape ideas on transforming a sandy oceanside bluff into a transitional garden please view these before and after photos. A once barren hillside is transformed into a lovely garden overlooking the Long Island Sound.
This beautiful bluff on the North Shore was the perfect setting for a garden leading down to the water’s edge. The homeowners desired a patio area that was set back into the bluff and provided protection from the wind. Our aim was to design a landscape with a patio and steps that was responsive to the openness and scale of the scene.
Huge boulders were installed to retain the grade as it slopes toward the water. The patio overlooking the beach is created to look like a natural rock formation and clearing, while at the same time serving as a place to sit and enjoy tranquil sunsets. It was designed specifically with the home owners’ needs in mind. Concealed to the right of the bench is a showerhead secured to the top of a large rock with a foot bath at the bottom, so that sandy beach-goers can rinse off before returning to the residence. Native plantings, suitable for coastal conditions, create a visual tapestry of texture and color.