On Cape Ann, Massachusetts, the rocky peninsula, shaped by wind and salt spray, has long shaped the region’s character. Designer Hilarie Holdsworth has built her practice around working with these natural elements rather than against them.
Holdsworth runs Hilarie Holdsworth Design, focusing on oceanfront properties where the environment dictates the approach. She treats the elements as collaborators. “We wanted to celebrate the beautiful ledge,” she said. “Some of the best granite in the world comes from this area.”
The land tells the story
When Holdsworth redesigned the setting of a recently renovated oceanfront home, she approached the site with familiarity. The half-acre property, once dominated by lawn, offered sweeping views of the water. The clients wanted more than a vista—they sought a garden reflecting Cape Ann’s history and ecology.
The peninsula was originally home to the Pawtucket people and later settled by the English in 1623. The clients wanted a design honoring that legacy, blending native plants with ornamental additions while preserving the rugged terrain.
Holdsworth let the land guide her work. Existing boulders remained in place, serving as focal points. “The stonework served as the juicy bits on the property,” she said. Locally sourced granite became the backbone of the hardscape, shaping terraces, pathways, and retaining walls.
The project had practical demands. The homeowners wanted an outdoor kitchen, a greenhouse for seedlings, and cutting gardens for annuals. They also needed functional spaces for parking and circulation. Holdsworth assigned each area a distinct role, ensuring the garden remained both beautiful and usable.
A garden that thrives on adversity
Plant selection was critical. Coastal gardens face relentless wind, salt spray, and poor soil, but Holdsworth used the region’s natural resilience. She removed several Norway maples and replaced them with hardy perennials and woody plants suited to the conditions.
A conservation commission requirement for mitigation planting became an opportunity. Holdsworth designed a bioswale—a stormwater management feature—using drifts of amsonia, New England asters, sedums, and ornamental grasses. The result was both functional and striking, with foliage shifting through the seasons.
The garden’s diversity ensures year-round interest. Spring brings early bloomers like Amelanchier, while summer highlights include hydrangeas. In winter, the stonework provides structure when plants go dormant.
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This approach focuses on thriving, not just surviving. Native plants like bayberry, beach plum, and tupelo are adapted to the harsh conditions. Even the cutting beds, filled with zinnias and dahlias, were chosen for their ability to flourish in the coastal climate.
Coastal gardens often have a late spring start due to the ocean’s tempering effect, but they also enjoy extended growing seasons. Holdsworth’s design accounts for these quirks, ensuring the garden performs from early blooms to winter silhouettes.
Other designers might view Cape Ann’s rocky terrain as a limitation. Holdsworth treats it as a language. The result is a setting that feels natural, as if it grew from the land itself.
Lessons from the shore
Holdsworth’s work provides a model for coastal gardening. Her plant choices prioritize resilience, favoring species evolved to handle salt, wind, and poor soil. She avoids broad-leaved plants that wilt under stress, opting for those with waxy or felted foliage to repel salt spray.
For erosion control, she uses deep-rooted native grasses like little bluestem. In areas with poor soil, she amends only the immediate planting pockets. The goal is to work within the environment’s constraints.
Her preferred plants for coastal New England include beach plum, bayberry, and Eastern red cedar. She also incorporates herbs like thyme and oregano, which tolerate challenging conditions due to their essential oils.
The homeowners now use the garden year-round. The outdoor kitchen and greenhouse extend their living space, while the cutting beds supply fresh flowers. The design balances wildness and intention, showing what happens when a project respects the land.
Night-scented flowers add another layer to the garden’s appeal. Varieties like evening primrose and nicotiana bring fragrance after dark, enhancing the space’s sensory experience.
