Coastal plants:
Cineraria:
Perfect for cool, shady gardens, this annual comes in a variety of colors-from pinks and blues to white and purples-often with contrasting centers.
Calla Lilies:
Easy and elegant, these classic beauties bloom in winter and early spring.
New Zealand Flax:
Capable of reaching 10 feet in height, these plants stay a manageable size when kept in containers. In areas with cooler winters, they might need to be moved to protected locations for the season.
Lily-of-the-Nile:
This glamorous plant's stems can reach 4 to 5 feet tall and producer as many as 100 small blue flowers. Once established, it requires little watering and can withstand some flooding if the soil allows for quick drainage.
Foxglove:
Because they're resistant to wind and salt air, these spires of bell-shape flowers work well in coastal areas.
10 no-fail plants:
- Sea Lavender
- Tickseed
- Rose Rugosa
- Hydrangea
- Delphinium
- Speedwell
- Dianthus
- Black Eyed Susan
- Phlox
- Lilac
For more information on these plants, click here.
Tips:
Protect your plants from wind and rain and bad soil
a.) Build a fence or use dense shrubs to protect flowering plants
b.) Build a raised bed (to use better soil; coastal sands or clay soils aren't typically the best soil for growing flowers). Also helps soil drain when heavy rains.
Celebrate the coastal look. It is a coastal garden, so why not celebrate the beauty of plants that grow naturally in the environment (regardless of whether they flower or not)?
a. Coastal ornamental grasses
For more coastal plants to try in your garden and other coastal home and gardening tips, visit www.coastalliving.com.
