We just got back from a few days at the beach, sharing a condo with lifelong friends that we rarely get to see. It was a gorgeous spot, as you can see. This shot was taken from the deck overlooking the ocean in Neskowin.

While others went golfing (not my thing), I took my camera on a walk around the town. There were giant phormiums everywhere.

While hydrangeas in town are doing the fading act, turning shades of russet, at the coast they are still in full swing.

The gunneras seem to thrive in a coastal climate.

I especially love the flights of fancy in coastal gardens. People here seem to take themselves less seriously and just let it all hang out.

Using materials at hand, this homeowner crafted a stone wall with a driftwood gate and large stone post caps.

This colorful cottage was only the beginning.

Its entry was a mosaic fashioned of colorful bottles. In a conversation with a neighbor we learned that each bottle was filled with sand, and yes, the whole area had been dug to a depth to accommodate the entire bottle, placed upside-down and then filled in with sand so that only the bottoms appear at the surface.

Here’s another view. Pretty neat, huh?

The bright red and blue paint job on this house looked right at home in this setting. Adirondak chairs on the porch were painted the same bright red.

A more restrained approach can exist cheek by jowl without looking out of place. Moral of story: at the beach, anything goes.