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Maintaining a garden near the ocean can be a challenge. The salty air and wind can take their toll on plants, trees, and flowers. However, with a little bit of effort and know-how, you can create a beautiful oasis right outside your door. Read on for some tips for keeping your oceanfront garden looking its best.
Choose the Right Plants for Your Oceanfront Garden
One of the biggest choices you’ll have to make when designing your waterfront landscaping is picking what plants to use.
This is where native plant gardens come in. There are many benefits to using native plants in your garden, including the fact that they’re adapted to local weather conditions and are more likely to be disease- and pest-resistant. This is especially important for oceanfront properties since salt-laden winds can damage plants that aren’t adapted to them.
When selecting plants for your oceanfront garden, it’s important to choose species that can handle the salty air and wind. Some good options include:
- Clumping grasses, such as pampas grass
- Cactus plants
- Succulent plants
- Coastal shrubs, like rosemary and salal
- Salt-tolerant flowers like lantana, daylilies, and lilyturf
When planting near the ocean, it’s also important to keep any trees or large shrubs pruned. This will help prevent them from being toppled over by strong winds.
Consider Xeriscaping
Since oceanfront and beachfront homes often have sandy soil, drought-tolerant plants and xeriscaping are both smart moves. The less water your garden takes up, the easier it will be to maintain.
As a bonus, many salt-tolerant plants such as cacti and succulents are drought-tolerant as well. Other drought-tolerant plants you might consider include:
- Beach sunflowers
- Bougainvillea vines
- Blue fescue ornamental grass
- Kangaroo paw
Irrigate Your Garden Regularly
Another important step in maintaining a healthy oceanfront garden is to make sure it’s properly watered. This is especially true if you live in a hot climate.
You’ll need to water an oceanfront garden more frequently than you would an inland garden, since the salt in the soil can dry out plants. Be sure to check your plants and soil every so often and adjust your water schedule accordingly. You’ll also want to add compost regularly to help dilute the sodium levels in the soil.
An easy way to ensure that all of your plants receive the right amount of water is to install a drip irrigation system. This will allow you to set up different watering schedules for each part of your garden, helping you make sure that everything receives the right amount of water. Consider harvesting rainwater to both collect high-nutrient, plant-friendly water and cut down on your home’s water consumption.
Plant or Build Some Windbreaks
If you live in a coastal area with high winds, you’ll want to take some steps to protect your plants. One way to do this is to build or plant windbreaks.
Windbreaks can be made from a variety of materials, including hedges, fences, and even walls. Planting dense shrubs like dwarf bottlebrush near the perimeter of your property can also help to reduce the amount of salty wind that reaches your garden.
Including some type of wind protection in your oceanfront landscaping design is a must if you want to keep your plants healthy and happy. If your garden has potted plants, be sure to bring them indoors if you see strong storms in the weather forecast.
Hire a professional to install a Fence
Living by the waters edge will subject your garden to some pretty harsh conditions such as harsh winds. Install a fence to protect your garden from the environment, hire a professional fence contractor, they will know what material to use and the type of fence that would suit specifically your needs for privacy and protection from the wind. By pre-emptively striking the issue, you can maintain a beautiful oceanfront garden.
Ready to Design Your Oceanfront Oasis?
With a little bit of care, you can maintain a beautiful and thriving oceanfront garden. By choosing the right plants and giving them the attention they need, you can create an outdoor oasis that will be the envy of your neighbors.
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