Coastal Garden Design: Plants and Features for Coastal Gardens

The coast has a unique set of characteristics thanks to the sea line. The ocean brings in salty air, plenty of wind and sandy soil. Not everything can hack these features, making the location challenging sometimes. This can especially be the case in your garden. So, coastal garden design is carefully curated with these location features in mind.

In this form of gardening, choosing the right plants and design elements is important. The plants need to be able to thrive in the sandy soil while being a little protected from the winds.

The team at Bonsai Landscapes are based in Dorset, so our day-to-day is designing, building, maintaining and landscaping coastal gardens. This gives us plenty of real-life experience to share some ideas on plants and features to include for your coastal garden.

Understanding the Coastal Climate and Soil Conditions

Living by the beach and coast brings idyllic scenes, gorgeous sunsets and a horizon so far away you question whether the earth really is round. However, it also brings a few things that impact your garden, meaning some additional thought might need to be put into the design of your garden.

Common problems include:

• Winds coming off the sea are filled with salt, which can dry out plant leaves, causing leaf burn, browning, or stunted growth.
• Salt can also settle in the soil, which impacts plant roots as it makes it harder for them to absorb water, leading to dehydration.
• The amount of wind coming from the sea also contributes to the leaves drying out.
• Harsh winds that come with storms and rainy days (often seen here on the South Coast) can cause physical damage to the plants and even lead to uprooting.
• Sandy soil drains quickly, which can leach nutrients away before plants absorb them.
• The soil can be too sandy and lack other necessary ingredients, which can prevent strong root growth.

There are several things you can do to minimise these impacts with considered coastal garden design and maintenance.

Firstly, there are a few additives that you can add to the soil to improve soil health and encourage healthy roots and plants.

These include:

• Compost & organic matter – enhances water retention and boosts nutrients.
• Clay or silt – helps bind sandy particles, improving soil structure.
• Gypsum – reduces salt levels in the soil, making it easier for plants to absorb water.
• Biochar – increases nutrient retention and microbial activity.

Additionally, you can enhance drainage by:

• Raising beds – this lifts plants above poor soil, ensuring better drainage.
• Adding french drains or gravel layers – helps excess water move away from plant roots.
• Mulching – as this prevents rapid evaporation and reduces soil erosion.

Of course, the other important factor to a thriving coastal garden is choosing the right plants for the environment.

Best Plants for a Thriving Coastal Garden

In coastal garden design, there are three types of plants that we use. This is because they are all able to cope with the specific conditions that come with being by the sea.

Salt-Tolerant Plants

These plants can cope with the salt levels in the wind and soil.

• Sea Thrift
• Lavender
• Rugosa Rose
• Hydrangea
• Hebe
• Lantana
• Beach Grass
• Sea Oats
• Blue Fescue
• Ice Plant

Wind-Resistant Shrubs and Trees

If you want some shrubs and trees in your coastal garden design, they need to be sturdy enough to withstand the winds we experience.

• Scots Pine
• Monterey Cypress
• Hawthorn
• Alder
• Rowan (Mountain Ash)
• Silver Birch
• Coastal Live Oak

Low-maintenance and Drought-Tolerant Plants

Because the sand can mean water drains quickly, you will want to include some plants that will thrive in, what is effectively, a drought.

• Lavender
• Sedum (Stonecrop)
• Echinacea (Coneflower)
• Russian Sage
• Yarrow
• Salvia
• Agapanthus
• Gaillardia

Incorporating plants for each of these categories will mean you will have a varied garden full of colour and smells, but you won’t have to worry about the salt air or quick drainage ruining your garden.

Essential Features To Include In Your Coastal Garden Design

On top of being specific with the plants you choose, you should include a few of the following features in your coastal garden design. These will ensure your garden is durable and functional, all while staying visually pleasing.

• Gravel and sand-based pathways - these surfaces prevent erosion and blend with the coastal landscape.
• Raised garden beds and mulching - these protect plants from harsh conditions.
• Using natural windbreaks and screens - fences, hedges, and trellises can shield gardens from wind damage.

Maintenance Tips for a Healthy Coastal Garden

Once you have built your coastal garden design, you will need to keep on top of it to give it the best chance of flourishing.

These are our tips for maintaining a coastal garden:

Spring:

• Prune & trim – remove any winter-damaged branches and encourage healthy new growth.
• Fertilise – apply slow-release organic fertilisers to replenish nutrients lost in sandy soil.
• Plant & mulch – spring is ideal for planting new salt-tolerant plants and adding mulch to retain moisture.
• Check for pests – coastal areas can attract aphids, slugs, and salt-resistant insects; use natural deterrents.

Summer:

• Deep watering – water early in the morning to reduce evaporation and help plants develop deep roots.
• Shade protection – provides temporary shade for young plants exposed to intense sun and drying winds.
• Check for salt buildup – rinse plants occasionally with fresh water to remove salt deposits from the leaves.

Autumn:

• Soil enrichment – add organic compost to improve sandy soil’s ability to retain moisture and nutrients.
• Trim & prune (again) – cut back overgrown shrubs and remove dead leaves to prevent disease.
• Windproofing – strengthen plant supports and add windbreaks to protect plants from autumn storms.

Winter:

• Protect delicate plants – use mulch or fleece coverings to insulate roots against frost.
• Reduce watering – plants require less water in winter; avoid overwatering in cooler months.
• Plan for spring – winter is a good time to design new garden layouts and plant selections for the next season.

Choose Our Professional Coastal Garden Design Services

Coastal garden design requires some knowledge of the area’s conditions and the needs of different plants to know whether they would survive. By implementing the above and carefully considering which plants you use and the features to add, you can have a thriving garden.

Not sure how to create the garden you envision? Don’t worry, the team at Bonsai Landscapes can help.

As we are based in Dorset, almost all of our work has an element of coastal garden design. This means we are experts at it.

Our services cover everything you need for your garden, from design and build to maintenance and landscaping.

Alternatively, if you just need a bit of help picking the right plants for your soil, we can provide a plant or bed package.

Contact our team of experts today to discuss your coastal garden and how our services can help. Call us on 07477 968735 or complete our online contact form to request a callback.