Plants for Seaside Gardens
There is a great range of plants which grow well in seaside gardens. The milder conditions allow the seaside gardener to grow plants which would not thrive in some more exposed areas of the UK.
Many of these plants need little or no maintenance, which can be important if the house and garden are not occupied all the year round. Plants need to be self sufficient.
Below are ideas, images and growing tips for Seaside Gardens.
For more ideas, check out gardening by the Seaside and Shrubs for Seaside gardens
I love Thalictrum, tall with floating fluffy flowers which drift on the breeze. Thalictrum is easy to grow, a herbaceous perennial which comes back year after year. It will self seed and although tall, does not need staking.
Eryngiums, common name Sea Holly as its name suggests, are happy in a coastal garden. Eryngiums need a little protection in the winter, which is often milder in coastal gardens. They are much loved by bees.
Alchemilla mollis common name Lady's mantle, is self sufficient, and a self seeder. It requires no real attention, a herbaceous perennial which returns reliably each year. Alchemilla is very easy to grow.
The passion flower looks very exotic but is easy to grow and thrives in a coastal garden. Illustrated is Passiflora caerulea which can be semi/evergreen in more sheltered conditions and is a lovely climbing - growing tips.
Everyone loves Agapanthus with their large striking flower heads in shades of blue and white. Agapanthus can be temperamental but is a breeze to grow in milder coastal gardens- see how to grow Agapanthus.
Crocosmia grows from corms planting in the autumn and has flowers which are bright red, yellow and orange depending on the variety. Illustrated is the tall and very scarlet C. Lucifer. Crocosmia is easy to grow and maintenance free.
Aubretia, a simple plant, easy to grow plant which is often overlooked, adds early colour flowering from March onwards and looks just fabulous tumbling over a wall. Tips on growing Aubretia.
Achillea illustrated here and top left has feathery green/grey foliage and large flat flower heads made up of many tiny flowers. It looks good with some many garden plants and grasses. Achillea is easy to grow and trouble free. Check out the smell of the foliage first, it's not to everyone's taste.
Erysimum, the common wallflower, has one of the most irresistible, sweetest scents of any garden plant. A short-lived perennial which flowers for a long time in spring, they look great with Tulips and spring bedding.
Aquilegia a delicate spring flowering herbaceous perennial. It is not fussy about growing conditions and will self seed around the garden.
Meconopsis grandis known as the Himalayan Blue Poppy is difficult to get established and is fussy about growing conditions but rewards with the most stunning blue flowers- detailed growing advice.
Sedums are mainly herbaceous perennials, which return reliably each year. There are a lot of sedums to choose from and most are very attractive to pollinators.
Hemerocallis, common name Day lily, is a herbaceous perennial with large flowers. Although the flowers are short-lived, around a day, this clump forming plant flowers profusely over a long period. There is a huge range of flower colours to choose from, including attractively striped varieties. It is a grow anywhere plant and suitable for coastal gardens..
This is a bold grass which is a strong grower so needs a fair amount of space, but makes are real splash with the brightly striped variegated leaves. Miscanthus sinensis has large plumes in the summer up to a metre high.
Several grasses are suitable for coastal gardens
More ideas about plants and shrubs suitable to seaside gardens:-
Gardening by the seaside and Shrubs for Seaside gardens for more ideas