Coastal Garden Design
Presenter: Phil Dudman
Episode: 22 (22nd September 2007)
Keeping a garden looking its best though dry times can be tough going, but imagine a garden by the ocean. Sandy soils hold little moisture and the wind dries things out even more. Then there’s the salt, which can do terrible damage to delicate foliage. Most plants don’t stand a chance.
So what are the tricks to having a happy seaside garden?
Well, it is about design as much as plant selection and the sort of ideas that work here can be applied just about anywhere.
It starts on the edge of the beach where the conditions are the toughest. In coastal garden design, they refer to this area as Zone 1. It is the area where you use the hardiest plants. This area is for plants like the native Tuckaroo, the leaves are thick and leathery which enables them to withstand all sorts of punishment. The Old Man Banksia has similar foliage and is a well known feature on the beach.
Together, they do the job of creating a front line wall of defence breaking the force of all that salt and wind. That allows us to grow a greater range of plants behind it. This area is referred to as Zone 2 and the plants still have to be pretty tough.
In Zone 2 you will see plants such as the New Zealand Christmas Bush and ‘Fiji Fire Storm’. Lilly Pillys do well, as do Crotons with their colourful foliage. Acalyphas are real stayers and there are some real stunners to discover. Even palms grow quite well in this slightly protected environment.
Stepping back even further from the beach we enter zone 3. Much of the bite from the wind has died down and there’s a lot of protection from surrounding structures. Because of this, you will find more moisture in the soil here too. This gives you a lot more plants to play with.
Plants like the beautiful Song of India will thrive, so will Dracaenas in all their different forms. Hibiscus species love the coastal life and are great for colour. The excellent Rhapis Palm is ideal in the shady areas and Cycads also look great
In coastal gardens it’s all about using the toughest of plants to create protected areas for the more delicate. It works really well and it’s an idea that you can apply just about anywhere to help your garden survive the dry.
The Plants:
Zone 1
Native Tuckaroo or Tulipwood (Harpullia pendula)
Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata)
Zone 2
New Zealand Christmas Bush
‘Fiji Fire’ (Metrosideros collina ‘Fiji Fire’)
Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.)
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Acalypha (Acalypha spp.)
Zone 3
Song of India or Pleomele (Dracaena reflexa)
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv.)
Rhapis Palm or Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsea)
Cycad (Cycas reflexa)
Episode: 22 (22nd September 2007)
Keeping a garden looking its best though dry times can be tough going, but imagine a garden by the ocean. Sandy soils hold little moisture and the wind dries things out even more. Then there’s the salt, which can do terrible damage to delicate foliage. Most plants don’t stand a chance.
So what are the tricks to having a happy seaside garden?
Well, it is about design as much as plant selection and the sort of ideas that work here can be applied just about anywhere.
It starts on the edge of the beach where the conditions are the toughest. In coastal garden design, they refer to this area as Zone 1. It is the area where you use the hardiest plants. This area is for plants like the native Tuckaroo, the leaves are thick and leathery which enables them to withstand all sorts of punishment. The Old Man Banksia has similar foliage and is a well known feature on the beach.
Together, they do the job of creating a front line wall of defence breaking the force of all that salt and wind. That allows us to grow a greater range of plants behind it. This area is referred to as Zone 2 and the plants still have to be pretty tough.
In Zone 2 you will see plants such as the New Zealand Christmas Bush and ‘Fiji Fire Storm’. Lilly Pillys do well, as do Crotons with their colourful foliage. Acalyphas are real stayers and there are some real stunners to discover. Even palms grow quite well in this slightly protected environment.
Stepping back even further from the beach we enter zone 3. Much of the bite from the wind has died down and there’s a lot of protection from surrounding structures. Because of this, you will find more moisture in the soil here too. This gives you a lot more plants to play with.
Plants like the beautiful Song of India will thrive, so will Dracaenas in all their different forms. Hibiscus species love the coastal life and are great for colour. The excellent Rhapis Palm is ideal in the shady areas and Cycads also look great
In coastal gardens it’s all about using the toughest of plants to create protected areas for the more delicate. It works really well and it’s an idea that you can apply just about anywhere to help your garden survive the dry.
The Plants:
Zone 1
Native Tuckaroo or Tulipwood (Harpullia pendula)
Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata)
Zone 2
New Zealand Christmas Bush
‘Fiji Fire’ (Metrosideros collina ‘Fiji Fire’)
Lilly Pilly (Syzygium spp.)
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Acalypha (Acalypha spp.)
Zone 3
Song of India or Pleomele (Dracaena reflexa)
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv.)
Rhapis Palm or Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsea)
Cycad (Cycas reflexa)
AS SEEN ON 
