Residence on the Marsh
Terrapin Island, South Carolina

Located on Terrapin Island, this residence is a beautiful brick and wood shingle house. The spacious back deck includes an invisible edge pool and spa directing the eye to the 180º view across the marsh. With step-down to the deck railings, one may sit and enjoy the panorama unhindered by the guardrail.

The homeowners value privacy and desired a naturalistic landscaping to reduce the visual impact of the house and allow the house to co-exist comfortably with the natural setting.  With this in mind, the homeowners and the Landscape Architect visited a quality tree nursery and selected a number of sizable live oaks, hollies, and magnolias, which provided almost total privacy when installed. 

Curving brick retaining walls along the drive, planted with palms, native shrubs and cascading perennials, turned the driveway into an entry garden.  Blooming Crape Myrtles arch over the drive to complete the experience.

Natural berms were enhanced to cover much of the foundation of the house, reducing the scale of the house and adding an undulating terrain, which guides the eye toward the entry porte cochere. Palmettos planted in loose clumps provide a vertical element, which breaks the roofline and succeeds in scaling down the mass of the large house.  Two large Pindo Palms on either side of the porte cochere frame the entrance with silver fronds, which provide a stunning contrast to the dark wooden beams.  The roof of the porte cochere provides enough shade for a small shade garden at the main entrance.  The shade tolerant Needle Palm, ferns, and perennials add a delicate, more intimate feel to the garden upon entering and leaving the front door.