Carmel by the Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Design, Install, Maintenance — Petrus Landscape
Landscaping on oceanfront property is never easy! This Carmel property has been a great testing ground for plants that can withstand the dense salty air during winter storms and on- shore breezes.
Many plants in the landscape’s overall palette have a moderate to high salt tolerance, but some winter storms can prove to be just too salty even for the hardiest of beachfront plants. We have had the most success on the oceanfront with Westrigia fruticosa “Grey wall” or Coast Rosemary, for low hedging, Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ Rosemary for a low groundcover, and a great seaside perennial called Limonium or Sea Lavender. Some annuals also have proven to have some degree of salt tolerance like Geraniums.
If you are having bad luck keeping your plants alive at a seaside property, it would be a good idea to go to your local beach and take a look at what is growing naturally in the landscape with no maintenance. It’s a great place to start when looking for salt tolerant plants in your area!
Continue the portfolio.
Vista Verde
Grand estate grounds where privacy, mature canopy, and formal restraint define the landscape.
Las Olas
Grand estate grounds where privacy, mature canopy, and formal restraint define the landscape.
Coastal estates where wind-shaped cypress, fog, and the Pacific set the terms of the landscape.
A deep understanding of Northern California landscapes
1
Climate & Ecology
We design with Northern California's Mediterranean climate rather than against it — reading each site's microclimate, soil, and light to select planting that thrives with restraint.
11
Architectural Context
Every estate is composed outward from its architecture, so the landscape feels inseparable from the residence — whether restored Spanish Colonial or contemporary design.
111
Long-Term Stewardship
The gardens we create are maintained by the atelier that built them, ensuring pruning, planting, and refinement follow the original design intent for decades.