Seaside gardens: Coastal landscape design ideas

For homeowners living in a coastal landscape, it might seem difficult to plan and maintain a garden. With the salty air, strong winds and variable humidity, the conditions prove difficult for many popular plants. However, there are more options for coastal gardens than you might realize.

Whether you’re on the west coast, east coast or somewhere in between, these are some of the best plants to include in a seaside garden:

Hydrangea

While hydrangeas might seem delicate, they do very well in a coastal garden. Hydrangea plants are tolerant of sandy soil, and their woody stems are strong enough to withstand the ocean breeze. When planting hydrangeas in your coastal garden, choose a spot with partial shade where their foliage and flowers won’t burn.

Geranium

Geraniums are happy in almost any sunny spot, including coastal landscapes. Most varieties of geranium will thrive in full, seaside sun as long as the soil stays moist. Their foliage is striking on its own, but the bright red, pink and white blooms create beautiful pops of color in any yard or garden ensemble.

Lavender

Lavender is an extremely hardy plant and loves the sandy soil of coastal landscapes. You can grow impressive, fragrant bushes of lavender to complement the dunes and attract pollinators, even to coastal gardens.

Lavender is a drought tolerant plant, making it a low maintenance option for gardening in a warm and sunny coastal landscape.

Juniper

For year-round color and texture, incorporate an evergreen like juniper into your coastal landscape. Juniper shrubs come in many varieties, all of which are easy to care for in a coastal outdoor space among the salt spray and high winds.

Some varieties are low growing and creep along the soil for dense ground cover, while others can grow tall to create natural privacy and shield against the sea breeze.

For gardeners embracing the coastal lifestyle, these are only a few garden design ideas to try. Once you find the perfect combination of plants for your coastal landscape, you’ll be able to enjoy a seaside garden all your own.