Bordering a bend along a tidal river joining the Long Island Sound, the owners of a 1927 Tudor faced daunting challenges. Located in both a wetlands complex and in a flood zone, their 1.1 acre comprised an aging swimming pool, a disparate array of plants, fences, patios, and 360 linear feet of degraded seawall. The landscape architect transformed the property by engineering multi-level terraces linking formerly disjointed spaces from both upper and lower floors of the home, and creating garden zones that readily accommodate large gatherings, yet are intimate enough for quiet contemplation.

The design solution marries ecological restoration strategies with classic design principles of proportion and scale, progression and movement. Every element and plant was weighed against criteria for improving water quality and mitigating flooding. Sinuous drifts of mostly native plantings blanket perimeter rain gardens, then envelop family gathering spaces. Garden rooms within the resilient landscape enhance the house architecture, welcome pollinators, and forge visual and physical connections to the river.

Images by: George E. Byers