As we live right by the sea, the plants in our garden tend to get a bit battered in the wind. Although there is a small but enviable choice of seaside-loving species, if your garden is seriously exposed, you might need extra shelter, such as a screen or fence. This protection could even be temporary while your hedge develops. Go for plenty of height too, since this will improve the environment in the rest of your garden. Once established, your hedge will make a more effective shelter than a wall or solid fence, because it filters the wind, slowing down its speed.
Wind tends to bounce off a wall, producing eddies that can cause more damage.
Seaside-loving hedge plants include escallonia, handsome evergreen Griselinia littoralis and sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides , which produces silver leaves and orange berries. Fuchsia magellanica bears myriad damson and blood-red blooms, making it lovely for an informal hedge. Tamarisk has feathery foliage which is unaffected either by wind or by salt spray. More expert advice on trees and shrubs . For specialist advice, send your questions to our team.