Coastal Gardens are not without challenge as the soil is often poorer close to the sea but understand that there may be a lot of trial and error before you succeed with your landscaping plan.
NZ has long coastal lines and many NZ natives thrive beside the sea as they have evolved and adapted to this environment. Our coastlines are abundant with coastal loving plants, which are very picturesque, especially during spring/summer flowering - think flaxes, Pohutukawa and Renga Renga Lilies.
The sea salt spray, and the droplets of sodium carried on the sea air, poses a problem for many plants living in a coastal environment and can harm or even kill some plants; too much salt is toxic to plants. Protection from these winds is a must.
Best planting times for coastal gardens is in the late summer and autumn, when the salt content from salt spray is at it’s lowest and the rain can wash the salt from the soil. Lots of well-rotted compost dug in deeply, and mulching will improve chances of success – seaweed, washed down to remove salt, makes excellent mulch.
We recommend you look around your neighbourhood to see what is successfully growing in your region – what may grow successfully on the West Coast, may fail miserably on the East Coast!
Some ideas for you …
Low growing
Arctotis African Daisy
Carex Grasses
Gazanias African Daisy
Lomandra Reed, Rush
Cistus Rock Rose
Mesembryanthemum Ice Plant
Agapanthus Lily of the Nile
Succulents Agave
Aloe
Sedum
Yucca
Shrubs
Banksia
Griselinia Kapuka
Gevillea
Lavendula French Lavender
Leucadendron
Teucrium fruticans Germanda
Trees
Callistemon Bottlebrush
Natives
Arnthropodium Renga Renga Lily
Coprosma
Cordyline Cabbage Tree
Phormium Flax
Metrosideros excelsa Pohutukawa