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)
Salvia elegans 'Tangerine'
Pineapple sage, Honey melon sage
Salvia greggii 'Alba'
Autumn sage, Texas sage
Salvia greggii 'Desert Blaze'
Autumn sage, Texas sage
Salvia officinalis 'Kew Gold'
Common sage, Kitchen sage, Garden sage
Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens Variegata'
Variegated purple sage, Common sage, Kitchen sage, Garden sage
Salvia pratensis
Meadow clary, Meadow sage
Salvia splendens
Scarlet sage
Salvia splendens 'Blaze of Fire'
Scarlet sage, Sage
Salvia splendens 'Carabiniere'
Scarlet sage
Salvia splendens 'Red Arrow'
Scarlet sage
Salvia splendens 'Salsa Light Purple'
Scarlet sage
Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Red'
Scarlet sage
Salvia splendens 'Vista White'
Scarlet sage, Sage
Salvia x jamensis
James' hybrid sage
Sambucus nigra Gold Spark = 'Alcsam'
Elderberry, Elderflower, Black elder
Santolina chamaecyparissus 'Pretty Carroll'
Ground cyprus, Cotton lavender, Lavender-cotton
Scabiosa 'Blackberry Fool'
Scabious
Scabiosa 'Fama Blue'
Pincushion flower, Scabious, Mourning bride
Scabiosa atropurpurea 'Ace of Spades'
Mournful widow, Sweet scabious, Egyptian rose
Schizachyrium scoparium
Broom beard grass, Prairie grass, Wire grass, Bunchgrass
Sedum 'Birthday Party'
Stonecrop
Sedum 'Class Act'
Stonecrop
Sedum Herbstfreude Group 'Elsie's Gold'
Elsie's Gold stonecrop
Senecio cineraria
Silver cineraria, Sea ragwort, Silver groundsel
Solidago 'Leraft'
Golden rod
Sollya heterophylla 'Pink Charmer'
Bluebell creeper
Sorbus aucuparia var. edulis
Mountain ash, Edible mountain ash
Spiraea japonica Double Play® Gold = 'Yan'
Japanese spiraea
Spiraea japonica Walberton's Plumtastic = 'Walplum'
Japanese spiraea, Japanese meadowsweet
Spiraea thunbergii 'Fujino Pink'
Thunberg's spiraea
Spiraea x pseudosalicifolia 'Triumphans'
Willow leaf spiraea
Stachys byzantina 'Silky Fleece'
Lambs tongue, Lambs tails, Woolly ears
Stachys macrantha
Big betony, Big sage
Stachys officinalis 'Wisley White'
Bishop's wort, Betony
Stenotaphrum secundatum
Buffalo grass, St Augustine grass, Shore grass
Stokesia laevis
Stoke's aster, Jasper blue stokesia
Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
Snowberry, Coralberry
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
Indian currant, Buckbrush, Coralberry, Indian currant
Symphoricarpos x doorenbosii 'White Hedge'
Snowberry, Coralberry
Tagetes 'Golden Gem'
Marigold
Tagetes 'Solar Red'
Marigold
Tagetes patula 'Disco Orange'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Durango Yellow Fire'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Durango Yellow'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Hero Gold'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Safari Queen'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Safari Scarlet'
French marigold
Tagetes patula 'Safari Tangerine'
French marigold