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Coastal and exposed-site plants for UK gardens: tough species that stand up to salt spray, wind and sun. Hardy palms, silver-leaved grasses and architectural exotics chosen for seaside gardens, cliff-top plots and windy urban balconies.
108 products
Coastal gardens are demanding: salt-laden wind desiccates leaves, exposure limits shelter, and free-draining sandy soil dries out fast in summer. But the plants that thrive in these conditions tend to be some of the most architectural you can grow. Trachycarpus fortunei is the classic hardy palm for a British seaside, with a fibrous trunk that stands up to wind. Ornamental grasses, silver-leaved fescues, hardy Agave and coastal Euphorbias all handle the exposure. Read our honest guide to what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons before ordering.
Coastal planting pairs well with hardy palms, ornamental grasses and drought-tolerant plants. See the full Hardy Exotics range for exposed-site options.
Tough, wind-tolerant plants with tough or waxy foliage do best by the sea, including many grasses, architectural plants and hardy exotics. The plants in this collection are chosen to cope with the wind and salt of a coastal or exposed garden.
The same plants that handle coastal wind suit an exposed balcony or roof terrace. Tough grasses, architectural foliage and hardy exotics in heavy, stable pots cope with the buffeting where softer plants would be damaged.
The plants here are chosen for their tolerance of salt-laden wind and spray, which is what makes a seaside garden so challenging. Good drainage and shelter while they establish help them settle in and thrive.
Plant firmly and a little deep so wind cannot rock the roots, stake taller plants until established, and use tougher plants as a windbreak on the windward side to shelter the rest. Good drainage matters as much as shelter.
The plants in this collection are chosen to be hardy in UK coastal and exposed gardens, and each is labelled with its hardiness rating. Coastal areas are often milder than inland, which can suit slightly more tender exotics.
Coastal and exposed gardens are demanding, with salt-laden wind that scorches soft growth and dries plants out. The answer is to choose plants built for it. This collection brings together tough, hardy plants that shrug off wind and salt spray, many with the bold, architectural look that suits a coastal setting so well.
A high balcony or roof terrace is its own kind of exposed, windy site, much like the coast. The same tough plants that cope with sea wind also handle the buffeting of an upper-floor balcony or an open patio. Grown in sturdy, heavy pots they stay put and keep their looks where softer plants would shred.
Shelter and good drainage are the keys. Improve free-draining soil, plant a little deeper and firm plants in well so the wind cannot rock them, and use sturdy stakes for taller plants until they root. A windbreak of tougher plants on the windward side shelters everything behind it.
Water well while plants establish, as wind dries them quickly, and avoid soft, sappy growth that wind damages by not over-feeding. Once settled in, coastal-tough plants are some of the most self-reliant you can grow.
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