Plants for coastal gardens: pink & white
A wide variety of plants thrive in coastal areas, so it鈥檚 perfectly possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Plants in coastal areas need to be able to cope with salt-laden winds
- They often have adaptations such as waxy leaves or hairy foliage
- Choosing the right plants for coastal conditions will help to ensure they are healthy and performing at their best
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The planting plan
This planting design provides a range of plants with white and pink flowers that, once established, will thrive in an environment exposed to drying, salty winds and provide a variety of interest throughout the year. A simple planting plan helps to create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
Plants for coastal areas with a pink & white theme
Choosing plants for coastal areas
The main function of this scheme is to provide plants that can thrive in coastal conditions, which may include locations where salt spray is carried inland on strong winds.
Plants such as Olearia, Escallonia and Veronica have thick waxy foliage to help protect the leaves and reduce stress caused by the weather exposure. Veronica rakaiensis has small leaves, whose reduced surface area minimises moisture loss in windy conditions. The two sedums (Hylotelephium) have fleshy leaves, which store moisture to be used if drier conditions persist.
The groundcover sedum, Hylotelephium 鈥楢bendrot鈥�, helps protect and cover bare soil, reducing erosion and the wind鈥檚 drying effect on exposed soil. Reducing areas of bare earth will also help to prevent unwanted plants from self-seeding.
Additional organic mulching, preferably with , can further improve soil moisture retention and weed suppression. Mulches should be spread when the soil is already moist, to help trap some of that moisture before it dries out in summer.
1 - Olearia macrodonta
2 - Escallonia gracilis alba
3 - Veronica 鈥極ratia Beauty鈥�
4 - Verbena bonariensis
5 - Hylotelephium spectabile 鈥楤谤颈濒濒颈补苍迟鈥�
6 - Hylotelephium spectabile&苍产蝉辫;鈥楢产别苍诲谤辞迟鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
7 - Veronica rakaiensis
8 - Escallonia 鈥楥rimson Spire鈥�
2 - Escallonia gracilis alba is a medium-sized evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves and pure white flowers in mid and late summer.
3 - Veronica 鈥極ratia Beauty鈥� is an evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves and pink buds that open to white flowers, giving a pretty bicoloured effect.
4 - Verbena bonariensis is a tall, upright perennial with toothed leaves and wiry stems bearing branched clusters of small, bright purple flowers from summer into autumn.
5 - Hylotelephium spectabile (Brilliant Group) 鈥楤谤颈濒濒颈补苍迟鈥� is a succulent herbaceous perennial with thick stems bearing shallowly scalloped, waxy grey-green leaves and flat heads of starry pink flowers in late summer.
6 - Hylotelephium spectabile (Brilliant Group) 鈥楢bendrot鈥� is a succulent herbaceous perennial with heads of small pink and white star-shaped flowers in summer to autumn.
7 - Veronica rakaiensis is an evergreen shrub forming a compact mound of small, bright green leaves and short spikes of white flowers from early summer.
8 - Escallonia 鈥楥rimson Spire鈥� is a medium-sized evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves and deep crimson flowers in summer and early autumn.
About coastal areas
The challenge of coastal areas
If you have room, it will help to make some shelter from the main wind direction. An extra wind break of shrubs will provide this; you can also use a brushwood screen while they establish. A fence or a sturdy wall may alternatively be an option.
Why choose a sustainable planting combination?
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911爆料 is the UK鈥檚 leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone鈥檚 life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.