Helpful adivce for planting a garden by the sea

Seaside gardens enjoy a gorgeous setting and views but take the brunt of the elements that are part and parcel of their ocean setting. Careful thought must go into their creation.

Wind is often a constant presence, and placid weather can quickly turn into a raging gale. Tough, care-free plants are mandatory.

• If they can't resist wind, they'll be turned into confetti.
• If they won't tolerate salt spray, they'll be desiccated and possibly killed.
• Actually, the brunt of salt-laden breezes might not be felt over the entire property. On the leeward side of your house, out of the reach of wind and salt, you can grow a wider range of plants, including flowers in containers that will be sheltered from hostile elements.
• This would also be the best place to locate a special raised bed or berm composed of salt-free soil to serve as a home for favourite plants.
• Study your garden to learn its subtleties.
• The easiest way to learn where salt spray is most intense is to check your windows. If the panes are constantly clouded with salt deposits, it's an excellent clue to the severity of the problem. Cleaner panes mean that plants will be subjected to less wind and salt.

In addition to salt spray, salt buildup in the soil is a seaside gardener's biggest problem.

• If you live right at the edge of dunes, your plants will have to contend with salty soil and salty air.
• Many plants are sensitive to salt, which can dry out roots, damage leaves, and even kill the plant.
• The first signs of salt damage are scorched, brown, crispy leaf margins.
• Another symptom of salt stress is wilting even though the soil is moist.
• Fortunately, there are many plants that are somewhat salt-tolerant. Also, rain and irrigation water moves so rapidly through the porous, sandy soil found in most seaside gardens that salts are quickly leached away, unlike regions that are more arid or that have poorly drained soil, where salts can accumulate in the soil.
• Even without the leaching action of rain, simply enriching the soil with organic matter will help buffer the effects of salt on plant roots.
• Airborne salt is a subtle enemy of plants. Even gentle sea breezes carry salt that settles on garden foliage.
• Plants that are protected with waxy, thick or succulent leaves, which are impervious to salt, are well-adapted to life by the sea.
• Rugosa roses have proven themselves over generations of seaside gardening. Their thick, leathery leaves are not only resistant to the damaging effects of salt spray, but are just as resistant to insect pests and diseases that plague other roses.
• Sedums and the seaside or roadside seem to go together like sand and waves. These durable, adaptable plants tolerate heat, drought, salt spray and every conceivable abuse.
• Many plants with felted leaves, such as artemisia and lavender, are also resistant to salt spray. The leaf hairs intercept the salt before it reaches the leaf surface and keep it from burning the leaves.

Because beach erosion is such a prevalent problem, many seaside communities provide homeowners with lists of specially adapted plants recommended for local planting. Check with your local gardening clubs to see if there is anything they recommend. Here is a list of a few other great seaside plants:

• Akebia
• Anise hyssop
• Aster
• Blue star
• Bluebeard
• Butterfly weed
• Catmint
• Coreopsis
• Cosmos
• Crocus
• Daffodil
• Dianthus
• Dusty miller
• Euphorbia
• Geranium
• Goldenrod
• Gomphrena
• Lamb's-ears
• Lilac
• Morning glory
• Mugo pine
• Ornamental grasses
• Petunia
• Pines
• Plectranthus
• Poppy
• Portulaca
• Purple coneflower
• Rose campion
• Rudbeckia
• Smokebush
• Sneezeweed
• Statice
• Sweet alyssum
• Thrift
• Trumpet vine
• Verbena
• Yarrow

While planting a garden by the sea can be a difficult process, the proper plants are sure to look beautiful. Check with your local community to see if there's any specific plants you should grow -- whether they are endangered or simply sure to succeed. It's definitely worth the effort!