Tree and Shrub Plants for Gardens by the Sea

Add Beauty and Beat Erosion in Sandy Windswept Seaside Locations

Aug 19, 2009

Seaside gardens need protection against coastal winds and seaside erosion. The types of trees and shrubs are limited, but native plants already extant are good choices.

Seaside gardeners have to deal with thin sandy soil, strong winds from gales and hurricanes, the salt spray and the sun reflecting strongly off miles of open water. All this makes it difficult to plant anything with hope for survival.

Aside from annuals at the dooryard, gardeners want the permanence of trees and shrubs. While the list of plants that will withstand a seaside location is limited, there are a few tried and true plants that will have a good chance of survival. Native plants already extant in the gardener's location should be the first choice, but the gardener might try these plants which will do well in exposed seaside locations even in locations with severe winters.

The Seaside gardener can indeed have roses and rugosa roses are the best choice. Like all shrubs and trees grown in seaside gardens, the rugosa needs a firm hold. The sandy soil should be amended to meet the shrub's needs for nutrients and allow a good foothold in the location it's planted. Rugosa roses would be a great choice for a hedge separating the garden from the sandy beach.

Rugosa roses are hardy to zone 3. They are highly scented, repeat-flowering, bushy plants and very thorny. The salt spray won't hurt them. Rugosas grow to about 4' in height. Flower colors vary from white to pink to bright red.

Black Jack Oak

Black Jack oak or Quercus marilandica is actually a member of the red oak group. It is a smallish oak, native to Central United States, hence the Latin name. There are huge populations of this tree growing along the eastern seaboard.

Black Jack oak will grow in poor sandy soils where other trees won't grow and it reaches heights up to 40' or more. It's perfectly happy when firmly planted at sea level. It is a species tree often found in sunny open areas where other coastal plants like bracken and bayberry might grow. Hardy to zone 5.

Russian Olive

The Russian Olive or Oleaster is another great rugged choice for seaside gardens and an attractive half tree, half shrub. It has soft silver-grey foliage that sparkles when planted near water and the winter skeleton offers attractive shapes with dark brown bark. The berries are sweet and edible.

Russian Olive is hardy to Zone 3 and will grow to about 20', even in sandy soils. Amend the soil with humus rich mulches on an annual basis.Very resistant to wind. If planting as a windbreak hedge in a seaside garden, the Russian Olive should be spaced 5' apart.

Bearberry

Bearberry is a spreading evergreen shrub that grows naturally on the Pacific coast. It can spread out to 6' and will take root at each joint, so it is a good plant to stop soil erosion in seaside gardens. It may be slow to establish, but once the roots take hold, it will prove an asset to garden. Hardy to zone 3 and best planted in spring or late summer.

Bayberry

Some Bayberry species thrive in open dunes and will multiply, but they are easily kept in check. Bayberry is generally evergreen and will grow from 3' - 8' tall. The leaves are scented and the attractive fruits can be used in candle-making.

Bayberry is hardy to Zone 5 and grows very well on the Atlantic coast from New Jersey and southward.

Native Plants and Seaside Erosion

For stability of the soil in a seaside garden, gardeners should choose plants that aid in seaside erosion control. Native trees and shrubs are good choices because they have grown naturally in these sandy harsh growing conditions and therefore have proven themselves to be good soil stabilizers.

The gardener need only take a walk along the beach in his or her neighborhood to discover what plants will work well for this purpose. Neighbors may be willing to offer cuttings. Beach erosion affects all who live in there.

References

The copyright of the article Tree and Shrub Plants for Gardens by the Sea in Shrubs is owned by Lorraine Syratt. Permission to republish Tree and Shrub Plants for Gardens by the Sea in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.