Coastal / seaside gardens
Strong winds, salty air and difficult soil (clay, chalky, sandy or acidic) can make coastal gardening a challenge. But there are things which you can do to help. Most importantly create a windbreak to filter the wind. The best windbreaks "filter" the wind rather than blocking it completely. You can of course use man-made structures such as a fence but equally a living windbreak works well. If your garden gets the wind straight off the coast you will ideally need a fence (60% solid, 40% open). Next a living windbreak comprised of a hedge or dense groupings of tough trees or large shrubs. You can have a further living windbreak of smaller trees or shrubs. Within this protective border you can add plants that cope with your soil type and be protected from the worst of the coastal environment. ; Top tip: Reduce wind rock by staking new plants really well, in particular trees, shrubs and some perennials, to protect them from the wind as they get established and their roots a chance to develop. Also prune appropriately and at the right times of year, to reduce wind rock.
Best coastal & seaside plants
18 plants
Coastal garden - acidic soil
4232 plants
Coastal garden - chalky soil
3169 plants
Coastal garden - clay soil
1447 plants
Coastal garden - sandy soil
1466 plants
All plants (4733)
Ilex aquifolium 'Madame Briot'
Common holly, English holly, Hulver bush
Lathyrus latifolius 'Rosa Perle'
Perennial pea, Broad leaved everlasting pea, Large leaved lathyrus, Wild sweet pea
Lavandula angustifolia 'Nana Alba'
True lavender, Old English lavender, Common lavender
Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas 'Purple Wings'
French lavender, Butterfly lavender
Leucanthemum x superbum 'Beaute Nivelloise'
Shasta daisy
Lonicera x brownii
Scarlet trumpet honeysuckle, Brown's hybrid honeysuckle
Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra'
Chinese silver grass, Eulalia grass
Nepeta x faassenii 'Kit Cat'
Blue catmint, Faassen's nepeta, Mauve catmint
Panicum virgatum 'Squaw'
Red switch grass
Phlox subulata 'Purple Beauty'
Moss phlox, Mountain phlox, Moss pink
Phormium 'Dark Delight'
New Zealand flax
Phormium 'Pink Panther'
Flax lily, New Zealand flax
Potentilla fruticosa 'Red Ace'
Shrubby cinquefoil, Golden hardhack, Widdy, Bush cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa Danny Boy = 'Lissdan'
Shrubby cinquefoil, Golden hardhack, Widdy, Bush cinquefoil
Rosa rugosa
Rugosa rose, Ramanas rose, Japanese rose, Turkestan rose, Hedgehog rose
Spiraea japonica 'Shirobana'
Japanese spiraea
Spiraea x cinerea 'Grefsheim'
Grefsheim spiraea
Symphoricarpos Magical Galaxy = 'Kolmgala'
Snowberry, Coralberry
Symphoricarpos Magical Sweet = 'Kolmaswet'
Snowberry, Coralberry
Syringa vulgaris
Common lilac
Tagetes patula 'Durango Orange'
French marigold
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Jersey'
Highbush blueberry, American blueberry
Acer pseudoplatanus 'Erectum'
Sycamore, Scots plane, Great maple, Erect sycamore
Achillea 'Apricot Beauty'
Ornamental yarrow
Achillea 'Bloodstone'
Ornamental yarrow
Achillea 'McVities'
Ornamental yarrow
Achillea millefolium 'Colorado'
Bloodwort, Woundwort, Nosebleed, Thousand leaved yarrow, Sanguinary, Carpenter's weed
Acoelorraphe wrightii
Paurotis palm, Silver saw palmetto, Everglades palm, Saw cabbage palm
Aethionema grandiflorum
Persian stone cress, Persian candytuft
Agapanthus 'Jack's Blue'
African lily, Love flowers
Agapanthus 'Princess Margaret'
African lily, Love flowers
Agapanthus 'Tom Thumb'
Blue African Lily
Agapanthus 'Underway'
African lily, Love flowers
Ajuga reptans 'Arctic Fox'
Common bugle, Carpet bugle, Sicklewort, Carpenter's herb
Ajuga reptans 'Golden Beauty'
Common bugle, Carpet bugle, Sicklewort, Carpenter's herb
Ajuga reptans 'John Pierpoint'
Common bugle, Carpet bugle, Sicklewort, Carpenter's herb
Ajuga reptans 'Julia'
Common bugle, Carpet bugle, Sicklewort, Carpenter's herb
Ajuga reptans 'Purple Torch'
Common bugle, Carpet bugle, Sicklewort, Carpenter's herb
Alstroemeria 'Gloria'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria 'Neptune'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria 'Uranus'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria 'Yellow Friendship'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria Inca Desert = 'Konesert'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria Inca Joli = 'Koncajoli'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria Princess Aiko = 'Zabriko'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria Princess Angela = 'Staprilan'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas, St Martin's flower
Alstroemeria Princess Anouska = 'Zaprinous'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas
Alstroemeria Princess Ivana = 'Staprivane'
Peruvian lily, Lily of the Incas