Shrubs suitable for Coastal Gardens.

The following are tough, salt-resistant shrubs that survive most exposed coastal garden sites. They can be useful for creating shelter belts, hedging or filling in.

Cotoneaster horizontalis is a hardy shrub that flowers in late spring and early summer, the has attractive berries and leaf colours in autumn. It will grow to about half a metre high with a spread of 1.8 metres in full sun, or partial shade, in a well drained soil.

Eleagnus pungens variegata - can handle full sun or part shade and is very hardy. It likes a well-drained, light soil and can grow to a height of 4 metres with a similar spread. It will flower in late autumn and is a vigorous, spreading shrub. The white flowers are very small, but highly scented.

Eleagnus ebbingei "Limelight" has very similar characteristics to the one above. It will need at least some sun to keep the variegation and likes a fertile, well drained soil. It's hardy with silver-cream coloured, strongly scented flowers and a height and spread of up to 3 metres.

Escallonia rubra "Macrantha" is a semi-evergreen bushy shrub that is a fast grower. It flowers in mid to late summer with deep pink - red rose coloured flowers and can grow up to 4 metres height with a 4 metre spread. Average yearly growth is 30-45 cm and they make a good, coastal hedging by spacing at about 90cm apart, creating a hedge 2 metres high at a moderate growth rate.

Euonymus japonicus enjoys the coastal situation as it prefers moist conditions rather than dry and cold, although it can handle temperatures down to -5º C (23ºF) It reaches a height and spread of 4 metres by 2 metres, flowering in early summer.

It prefers full sun or light shade with a fertile, well-drained soil.

Fuchsia riccartonii - Hardy fuchsia, has an impressive display of dark purple, crimson flowers. It does well on the rainfall and humidity often found by the coast and can be put at the back of a large border, or used as hedging. It likes full sun or partial shade with a well drained soil. It has a possible height of 2.4 metres and a spread of 1.2 metres.

Hebe x franciscana "Blue Gem" is a smaller shrub of 1-2 metres high, that has rich, violet blue flowers that are sweet smelling and very attractive to butterflies and bees. It is very hardy and particularly tolerant of the salt-laden winds that abound the coastal regions. Commonly named "Veronica".

Hippophae rhamnoides - commonly called Sea Buckthorn. This is a deciciduous busy shrub with silvery to bronze leaves. They are very tolerant of salty conditions, but need full sunlight and sandy, well draining soil to thrive.

Olearia macrodontacommonly called the Daisy Bush and also New Zealand Holly. It thrives in a full sun position with a free draining soil. It grows to better than 4 metres with a spread of up to 3 metres. It flowers in mid-summer, with a golden and white daisy that are produced in great profusion, and it makes a very good hedge or coastal windbreak.

Olearia paniculata is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to be a small tree 2.5 - 7.5 metres and 2-3 metres wide. It likes full sun, and the flowers that form in autumn are small but very fragrant. It likes a good draining soil with full sun to semi-shade. It is frost hardy and makes for a pleasant trimmed hedge.

Olearia traversii is a splendid coastal shrub. The silvery/green leaves have a velvet like underside and the tiny white flowers appear in summer. It has a height of up to 4 metres and a spread of 3 metres. It's a fast growing plant that likes full sun or part-shade. The plant is drought tolerant and makes a quick screen or hedge.

Rosa rugosa can make a fast growing prickly hedge that will be covered in flowers for most of the summer, then followed by orange-red rosehips. As a hedge it can grow from 1-2 metres in height. It is extremely tolerant of seaside conditions.