Tomlee Head is a 300-acre peninsula on the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia. Marked by years of deforestation, the site was a mostly degraded rocky outcrop with open coastal vistas when it was acquired by the current owner. A new landscape masterplan was developed which explored large-scale reforestation of the site as a tool for space-making as well as ecological regeneration. New stands of Spruce, Birch, Tamarack and Cottonwoods were calibrated to frame topography and create a sense of enclosure, celebrating the dramatic and rugged terrain rather than erasing it.

Seeking to maintain the natural character that is intrinsic to the place, a new network of trails was developed to create a diversity of experiences and celebrate views out to the peninsula. Smaller-scale gardens around the new cabins feature rugged materials and a robust palette of shrubs and flowering trees. Materials are elemental—stone, plants, wood—meant to sit lightly on the land and highlight the glacial geology that makes up the site itself.

Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Status: Completed 2008

Project Type: Master Plan

Collaborators: Mackay-Lyons, Sweetapple Architects

Photography: Steven Evans