Try these by the sea

Tamarix tetrandra (left) Tamarix has evolved to prevent excessive transpiration by absorbing salt and its pliable stems defy high winds, making the genus the perfect seaside plant. In late spring, the shrub is hung with racemes of blush-pink blooms. Left unpruned, it will grow to 12ft

Salix lanata (right) W. J. Bean’s Trees and Shrubs describes this as among the ‘handsomest of dwarf willows’. It’s also one of the toughest and will shrug off high winds and temperatures as low as -20°C. The plant forms a dome of silvery, woolly leaves no more than 3ft tall, with small catkins in the spring

Bupleurum fruticosum (left) Umbels of bright acid-green flowers against glossy green foliage make this shrub a striking sight. On good, rich loam, it will grow to 6ft or more, but it’s usually anchored in poor, sandy soil or clinging onto exposed chalk outcrops, where it is much shorter

Acca sellowiana (right) A plant only for gardens with the gentlest of climates, as it won’t tolerate much below -5°C. In summer, the tough, glossy leaves are complemented by exotic-looking pale-pink flowers with crimson stamens. In Britain, it rarely grows to more than 8ft or 9ft

Olearia (below left) Named for the 7th Baron Talbot de Malahide, an expert on Australasian flora, this is one of the hardiest of the Olearia. The leathery leaves are reminiscent of the holm oak. In late summer, the shrub, which grows to about 6ft, is covered in sprays of white daisies

Talbot de Malahide

Pittosporum tobira (right) A dome of leathery, glossy leaves can look utilitarian, but, when it flowers in summer, the scent is intoxicating and you’ll forgive its winter dreariness. This plant will eventually grow to 6ft, but it can be pruned to keep it lower