When looking at what makes the seacoast region of New Hampshire and Maine unique, it becomes evident that areas such as Portsmouth, Rye, New Market, Ogunquit, Kennebunk and York show the mingling of remnants of earlier colonial times with modern day amenities. There is a real sense of New Hampshire’s history in these old seacoast towns. Many of the old architectural styles and garden scenes reflect earlier days. Harbor sides and old restored period homes are truly the trademark scenes of this part of our state. The New Hampshire and Maine coastlines have areas with seaward outlooks, Oceanside woodlands, and ‘salty’ views. Yes, the atmosphere in the seacoast region is stunningly beautiful and definitely dramatic.

When doing landscaping in this part of the region, you may want to think of some of the following things. If you are fortunate enough to own property that has ocean views, then you will want to make sure that your view to the ocean is preserved. Plants that are suitable for your site may be ones that will have sturdy, deep roots to stabilize the soil and resist erosion, or be tolerant of exposure to coastal storms and salty conditions.

Another thing to consider is what your needs and desires are regarding your outdoor activities. Of course, you will most likely want to spend a great deal of time outdoors enjoying natures beauty, so patios, paths, and other features such as these that help you to enjoy this beauty will be features that you will want to consider installing when looking into doing your landscaping.

Many seacoast homes are built on rocky, sloping areas. Your site may require that you do some terracing, or possibly some “no-mow”, low – maintenance type plantings on these slopes. Well landscaped sloping areas can be a fantastic feature on your property. In order to make foot passage on these slopes safe, there may need to be retaining walls, safe walks and steps, or even ‘guard-rails’ in some instances.

The styles in this region generally reflect historic, colonial times and old fashioned gardens, as well as harbor-side, or rocky beach front scenes. Using native stone and site-appropriate plants are the basic starting points when choosing landscape materials in this region. Creating landscapes that fit seamlessly into these environments is the goal. Making these landscapes visually exciting during all of our seasons, and making them fun to use for all of your outdoor activities is our passion. All of us at “Landscapes by Tom” would like to extend an invitation to you to give us a call and let us show you the possibilities for your landscaping project! We have professionals on hand in all areas of expertise to turn your property into your “dream-scape”. You can reach us at 603-279-0376. Happy Landscaping!