Contemporary Oceanfront Home

Job: Design, Hardscape, Landscape, Irrigation
Location: Coastal Maine

In 2016 we completed a multi-year project for a newly built, contemporary, oceanfront home in Harpswell. This architect-designed home was sited on a granite ledge outcrop high above the ocean with dramatic views. We were chosen to install a large natural boulder staircase, a gigantic boulder retaining wall, and a custom granite slab walkway. Our designer created a comprehensive landscape master plan for the property. We installed additional mature trees, several thousand square feet of new planting beds, a state-of-the-art irrigation system, and several large, locally-sourced accent boulders.

The first few steps, with the ocean out beyond.
One step at a time.
Stairway to Heaven.
Our fearless leader, Chris Davis.
A deconstructed main entrance featuring linear fountain grasses
Contemporary mass plantings create a bold aesthetic.
The mature clump river birch complements the vertical scale.
The boulders are cut into the walkway edge to look like the native ledge outcrops on site.
A row of hemlocks create a soft screen along the property line.
A glimpse of the ocean beyond
The basement walkout has a lovely focal bed.
We installed under-drainage piping in this built-in planter, then installed masses of Speedwell and Allium.
The oceanfront patio has large planting beds for seasonal interest.
The view from below the spa.
The creeping evergreens will eventually grow to cascade down over the boulder wall.
A view of the ocean is complemented by low-growing blue grasses and yellow blooms.
The patio dining area is softened with billowy masses of perennials.
The walkway joints are planted and micro-irrigation tubes are installed between the slabs.
This is the view from the patio above the stone staircase, utilizing a wide variety of surface textures.
The exposed ledge below is planted with hundreds of flowering groundcover perennials.
Pocket beds along the staircase are planted with tall grasses and colorful flowers.
Below the boulder retaining wall, masses of Myrica shrubs help to prevent erosion.
A rain garden at the end of the drainage swale creates a beautiful focal point.
The native plant palette was designed to repel the deer, preserving the blossoms.