Plants For The Seafront
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A friend of ours has recently bought a holiday cottage near us and we said we'd do something with his front garden as a housewarming present. The house is just yards from the beach adn catche the westerly salty winds. So can anyone suggest some good plants that will be colourful but cope with the salt air? (On the Wigtownshire coast the cliomate is very mild as it's washed by the Gulf Stream).
on Sat 08/05/10 14:30
The only thing that comes to mind is grasses, maybe some of the darker red ones.
quickfind:gallovidian > "can anyone suggest some good plants that will be colourful but cope with the salt air? "
Haven't a clue but make sure you use native ones.
Hi Anthony,
I'd suggest you take a look at what grows naturally in the area, and also peer into other local gardens and see what other people are growing.
For shrubs, hydrangeas and some fuchsias would be my first thought. For ground cover, thrift will grow right into the sea, so should do fine! Sea kale is another thought - unusual and incredibly tough.
This website looks like it could be useful - http://www.seasideplants.co.uk/
what about Sea Oats (Chasmanthium), heather, or lavender?
on Mon 10/05/10 18:12
I almost hesitate to suggest it, because it is not a "native" plant, but it is not at all invasive. We call it a Montauk Daisiy over here and you see them in shore line communities. Scientific name is Nipponanthemum nipponicum and it blooms in the fall. I have several and find them very tolerant and easy to grow.
Well, we went for a selection of grasses and some thrift in a drifty kind of seaside effect in the centre (it was previously laid all to gravel!), plus a couple of tough shrubs and heathers at the edges.
quickfind:gallovidian > "Well, we went for a selection of grasses and some thrift in a drifty kind of seaside effect in the centre (it was previously laid all to gravel!), plus a couple of tough shrubs and heathers at the edges."
Sounds good Anthony - what were the 'tough shrubs'?
on Fri 14/05/10 02:46
Sounds good. Lots of texture and colours that blend.
The shrubs were a golden berberis and a euonymous - both recommended as salt=tolerant, so fingers crossed!
on Sat 15/05/10 04:50
Toes crossed, too?
quickfind:gallovidian > "golden berberis"
I've just planted one of those in our wind-blasted front garden - we were told it's very tough!
We have a red version in the 'wind tunnel' at the side of our house, and it does extremely well.
This topic's tags: flowers, gardening, plants, seaside, shrubs.
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