Janet Baraclough wrote:

I garden right on the coast overlooking a bay with just a low hedge
and sheep pasture between the garden and sea.

Most coastal areas will be windy, and during stormy weather, the rain
may be salty (salty enough to coat the window glass and scorch soft
leaves). So pick plants which are adapted to survive wind and salt. The
leaves are often a good indication . Plants with small hard leaves, long
narrow leaves, waxy leaves, and felted leaves generally do well. Plants
whose wild relatives grow on or beside the shore, also do well; they
include many poppies, thistles, brassica family. I grow a lot of
coastal South african bulbs like agapanthus nerines and crocosmia, and
New Zealand natives such as hebe, phormium and coprosma..Unexpectedly
(to me) lilies are completely unfazed by high winds and grow tall
strong stems without staking. I try to contrast low tight mounding
plants with airy clumps of taller ones (such as grasses, bamboo); partly
for wind resistance but also, so as not to block the stunning sea ,
mountain and island views.

70 mph winds are common here and most winters we'll have some over
100mph. It pays to plant small, at the start of summer, so that plants
have chance to extend a root system bigger than the top growth, before
winter gales can rock them. Otherwise they risk being blown out of the
ground I often anchor top-heavy new plants with some heavy stones over
the roots for the first few seasons.

Making sheltered seating areas is a good idea :-)

Janet.(Isle of Arran, Scotland. Latitude 55 N).



Hey Janet,

Thanks for the input. My mom has just fell in love with these shrimp &
flamingo plants, but I am trying to stick with tried & true coastal
plants. I had no idea that lilies would do well there. Hadn't even
considered them for the coast really.

We are going with some bamboo (bambusa alphonse karr), dwarf pampas, and
several different hibiscus varieties. They have a couple of dwarf pear
trees and a famosa (spell?) tree there already. Not going to plant
anymore trees there, but still looking for hedges & flowers to set
around the house, boat house, fish house, & storage building.

Winds only get that high when hurricanes/tropical storms hit. Otherwise,
there is usually only a slight breeze daily, 10-15 mph some days. No
mountains there either. Just the sea....the big beautiful sea!

Rae