Plants for Exposed / Coastal Sites

If you live near the coast or have an exposed garden, then strong winds, dryness and salt spray can be a problem.

Below are a few tips on what can help your garden stay alive and a list of plants suitable for exposed/coastal locations.

Did you know that many plants adapted to strong sunlight and heat have a silver or bluish tinge to them?  Look out for silvery leaves as these will reflect the sunlight away from the plant se it will lose less water through evaporation.

Plants need to minimise water loss in these conditions, so look out for plants with thick, fleshy leaves which store water like Sedum or Sempervivum or thin needle like leaves like Rosemary or Lavender.  Glossy or hairy leaves also do well in exposed or coastal areas.Links to suppliers are at the bottom of this page.

Trees

Acer pseudoplatanus (Maple)
Arbutus unedo (Strawberry tree)
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus gunnii
Fraxinus excelsior (Ash)
Ilex aquifolium (Holly)
Laurus nobilis (Bay)
Salix alba (willow)
Sorbus aria ‘Lutescens’

Conifers

X Cupressocyparis Leylandii
Cupressus macrocarpa
Pinus nigra var.nigra

Shrubs

Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata’
Excall nia rubra var macrantha ‘Crimson Spire’
Euphorbia characia subsp. Wulfenii
Hebe x franciscana ‘Blue gem’
Hibiscus syracius
Hippophae rhamnoides
Lavandula ‘Hidcote’
Rosmarinus officinalis
Senecia ‘Sunshine’
Tamarix pentandra
Viburnham tinus

Climbers

Hedera canariensis
Tropaeolum tuberosum ‘Ken Aslet’
Wisteria sinensis

Perennials

Artemisia absinthium ‘Lambrook Silver’
Echinacea pupurea
Erigeron ‘Charity’
Eryngium variifolium
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’
Geranium sanguineum
Irises