Gardens with Salt Spray

Whether silhouetting a rocky coastline or a sandy beach, seaside gardens enjoy a gorgeous setting and views. But they appear deceptively calm and peaceful in contrast to the waves and sounds of the ocean and the starkness of the beach environment. In reality, seaside gardens take the brunt of the elements that are part and parcel to 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 as storms move over the water, with nothing to buffet their force.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 favorite 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.

Cutting Down on Salt

In addition to salt spray, salt buildup in the soil is a seaside gardener's biggest problem. Surprisingly, inland gardeners in cold climates can face die same problem when they try gardening near streets or sidewalks that are salted to melt snow and add traction in winter. If you live right at the edge of the dunes or on a street
where traffic splashes salted snow spray into your yard, 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. And 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. You can do your part to help the situation. 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 the rigors of life by the sea or in an area splashed with road salt. 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 also 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, keeping it from burning the leaves.

Native Restoration

Because beach erosion is such a prevalent problem, many seaside communities provide homeowners with lists of specially adapted plants recommended for local planting. These lists usually include some native plants that are best procured at local nurseries, but they are well worth seeking out. Beaches are such unusual planting niches that selected natives are often required to anchor a successful beachside garden, which can then be embellished with more tender or exotic beauties.

Reducing Roadway Salt Injury

You don't have to live by the sea for your plants to experience salt damage. In northern areas and high elevations that receive bountiful snow and ice, road maintenance can involve heavy loads of salt, which can be carried to plants by wind or splashed on them by fast-moving cars. Near roads or sidewalks that are salted frequently in winter, plant only salt-tolerant species, such as juniper, lilac, mugo pine, or rugosa rose. In high-traffic areas, plant medium-sized perennials from the list below, which won't obscure visibility. In spring, as soon as the snow melts, thoroughly rinse salt off plants with a spray of water from a hose. Then flood the soil around the plants' root zones to leach out accumulated salt. From spring to fall you can brighten these beds with colorful annuals.