We do like to seem beside the seaside
SPECIAL Keep that summer vibe alive by giving your plot a beach-inspired makeover
AS WE approach the tail end of August, it’s natural for some gardeners’ thoughts to start to turn slowly towards autumn. Well, there’s a canny way to extend the summer. If you’re not quite ready to turn your back on shorts and sandals, you can capture the holiday season’s carefree spirit by creating a seaside-inspired space.
It’s remarkably easy to give your garden a nautical nod and the look can be adapted to suit every budget. All you need to do is introduce the right plants, materials, features and furniture, and put the finishing touches to the scheme with some accessories, whether that’s a piece of driftwood or something more quirky.
Smaller gardens can be given a complete maritime makeover, while those with larger plots could hive off a patch to make a seasidestyle border or coastal corner. It’s even possible to add a bit of sun-soaked ambience with just a few carefully chosen pieces, a couple of key plants or a simple container arrangement.
Brachyglottis (Dunedin Group) ‘Sunshine’, Phlomis fruticosa and rosemary are classic seaside garden shrubs. Use them to provide a backdrop for crocosmia, eryngium and sea lavender (Limonium latifolium), setting dianthus, Erigeron karvinskianus, helianthemum and other low-growing perennials at the front of displays.
For a long season of colour, few plants beat Fuchsia ‘Riccartonii’. Ideal in sun or partial shade, this hardy fuchsia produces masses of small, crimson and magenta blooms, from June until October. It’s capable of growing up to 9ft but can be kept compact by pruning back to within 18in of the ground in late winter.
Authentic coastal gardens are often sheltered by special hedges that take the sting out of salt-laden, gusty blasts. Many of the tough species used for windbreaks tend to be utilitarian and are best avoided unless your garden is exposed. However, there are a few attractive plants that will help to provide the seaside feel. Among the best are Escallonia rubra ‘Crimson Spire’, Griselinia littoralis and Olearia traversii ‘Tweedledum’.
Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’ is an indestructible evergreen shrub, producing leaves with dark green centres and yellow margins. Its tiny white flowers emit a strong, vanilla-like scent in autumn.
Those with a balcony, patio or similar small space, can make a mini seaside garden in a container. Combine compact forms of agapanthus, Verbena bonariensis, thrift and Stipa tenuissima in a brightly coloured pot. Mulch the top with horticultural sand and add some shells, small bits of driftwood or other found objects.
A traditional lawn is a no-no in a seaside garden, so replace it with gravel or shingle, adding some large pebbles to make it texturally and visually appealing.
Consider linking different parts of the garden with a wooden boardwalk, using stout wooden posts connected with rope to visually divide the space.
Plenty of gardens close to the coast have paving stone patios, but an area of decking will provide more of a seaside feel, and is quick and relatively cheap to install. If the deck is large enough, erect a beach-hut-style summer house or arbour, painting it in a shade inspired by sand, sea, sun or sky.
No seaside-style garden would be complete without some furniture for eating, relaxing and sunbathing. A picnic table with bench seating is perfect for alfresco meals, while a weathered metal bistro set will deliver a cool, beach cafe vibe. Deckchairs fitted with striped canvas slings will add a pop of colour.
Complete the look with items found on beachcombing forays. Fill gaps with shells and add interest to beds and borders with a coil of rope or lobster pots. Hang pieces of fishing net and small plastic buoys on walls and fences, and set a shapely piece of driftwood in the ground to add a sculptural touch.