[Lesleyk]

Thanks again for all your thoughts.  I had to be the "yes but" person, here, but I have tried Olearia, as part of a mixed hedge so it was protected by the Hebe that grows so well and, guess what, it didn't survive more than one season.  Sea buckthorn is, despite the name, too tender for these parts as I have learnt to my cost.  I would be fascinated to hear what works in the south west Ireland garden as I imagine it suffers (benefits from?) similar conditions to here - picking up that theme, we look through a narrow gate formed by the tip of Donegal and the southern part of Islay, next stop Canada, so we can probably claim that our nearest neighbours to the west are as far away as that!  But I digress.  Like the gardener in Ireland, there has been a lot of trial and error for me in this garden and my plan also is to build an oasis, which will have to be heavily protected as least at the beginning, until the plants themselves can form some protection for others.  The temperatures here tend to be quite mild, curiously, as we have the benefit of the Gulf Stream, and we seldom, if ever, suffer from frost as we are right beside the sea.  It's the gale force winds that do for most of the things I try to grow.  I have managed to establish some climbing roses at the front of the house, which is sheltered from those nasty westerlies.  Any further suggestions are more than welcome - I'm enjoying the input!

[Lesleyk]

Just remembered, re tamarisk, I'm afraid I've also tried to grow this with no success, although that was at at time when I had less protection in place, so maybe worth another try.  I have found a lot of the advice on coastal gardening relates more to the south of the country and many of the plants recommended simply don't do well here, despite their salt-loving credentials. 

[Goosegirl]

Hi again. As I have also found, it's getting the plants established in the first place because, as you say, the winds you get will just burn any leaf buds and leaves of any plant before it has a chance to grow. Even our once well-established hawthorns right on the shore have gradually succumbed over many years, but are still used as farm hedging around me, though single trees take on a wind-sculpted shape. All I can think of now is the Scot's pine but, again, will need protecting in its early years. Try Tamarix again - it's worth a go, and won't spoil your view with its airy leaves. I have two dear friends who live in a very old cottage right on the shore here. Their garden slopes away right down from the coastal path so that gives some protection in itself. It is absolutely amazing and was completely unexpected when I first visited them. I can't just remember what trees they have on their front boundary (a stone's throw from the shore) but think they are conifers? When I next go there, I will take a look. Of course, the trees have been there for many years but must have been able to survive in the beginning. Protection is the key factor here as you know, and am just trying to think of something semi-circular you could place behind them so they have a better chance. Woven hurdles?

[diospyros]

Pampas grass?  Just I saw some today growing where it shouldn't be and thought it must be quite difficult to kill!

[Lesleyk]

Yes, I have managed to grow pampas grass - in fact I have three well-established plants.  They don't seem to mind the wind and the salt, so they are a good option.  Goosegirl, about the semi-circular hurdles, again I like your thinking - and they would look nice too.  I have tried to grow Scots Pine and other conifers that I have seen growing beside the sea around here but despite planting in the shelter of a large rock, the first storms of that year did for them!  I can't help but think that if I could get a few trees established, wind-sculpted or not, they could provide good protection for other plants inside the garden, but it's protecting the trees in the first place .....

[Goosegirl]

You're right - that is the biggest problem. Maybe the large rock made the wind swirl round it onto your pine? Anyway, re- hurdles - don't know if you're crafty and can get hold of these to make some, but long stems or withies of hazel, willow, and dogwood trimmings with their variously-coloured stems would be ideal and also easy to weave around the uprights as they are quite bendy. My dogwoods need cutting back and you could have had some, but I don't think I can throw them that far even with the wind behind me!  If you can do this, perhaps you could make a special one for your honeysuckle?

[Oddpod]

I live about a mile from the sea and get the full blast of northeasterly winds in the garden, southwesterlies can be salt-laden. We have a hedge of lonicera nitida, forsythia, pyracantha and berberis and mahonia, all of which seem to get through the winter without too much problem.
There is a clematis montana (pink) growing through the lonicera which gets trimmed back regularly but still keeps growing back. I guess once again it is a question of establishing things first.
What about sea holly, crambe or gorse? My hydrangeas and curry plant seem to manage ok but not too sure whether they would succeed right at the shore's edge.
Best wishes with whatever you try, would love to know how you get on. 

[Lesleyk]

Thanks Oddpd for all your thoughts.  The main problem, I think, lies in location.  You are in East Devon and i am as exposed as it gets in West Scotland!  The plants you mention do have some degree of success around here, although they will always be attacked by vicious gales that can reach 80 - 90 mph during winter storms.  This tends to result in stunted growth (I have hydrangeas that are proof of that) or death!  By sea holly, I guess you mean Eryngium, which I have tried to grow and partially succeeded - it needs not to be in the way of the westerlies (well, to be fair everything needs not to be in the way of the westerlies) and I had a couple of examples on the easterly side of the cottage that lasted a summer or two and then gave up, despite my attempts at protection by planting them among Crocosmia (which does REALLY well around here) and Rosa rugosa.  I have never yet managed to grow any Clematis, although I have lost lots!  My conclusion is that protection is king and that once I have got that in place, however unsightly, i can think about clothing it in something pretty!

[diospyros]

Hi there

A reply from my friend with the cottage in Cork which I will paste verbatim...Phormium [new Zealand flax] mixed with Olearia traversii which is as tough as old boots even when it goes down in gales cut it well back & up it shoots again its the real shelter belt for us out there on the edge! then once there is shelter the next line for us is the Rosa Rugosa as the birds love the berries & I love the scent--escallonias -fuchsias also the other olearia the daisy bush though mine now are large -if its frost free like us mostly above freezing anything goes myrtles camellias etc -hope its of some help

some things repeated there but hadn't thought of phormium!

[Lesleyk]

Thanks for the info - your friend's garden sounds amazing The way the shelter belt has been constructed is classic for situations like these.  My main problem is lack of space - if I had more (i.e. if I wasn't already virtually on the rocky foreshore) I would be doing the same.  I think building net-covered fences that allow the wind through to a certain extent is the best alternative, when a shelter belt isn't an option.  I will have another crack at Phormium, though - you guessed it, my last plants died the usual wind-blown death!

[diospyros]

And my last suggestion, I think, is Goji berries as I have just ordered a plant and the leaves look very small and olive-like and is recommended for windy locations.  It is supposed to go up to 2.5m, I hadn't realised quite how big it is  - was imagining something like a currant bush  but that sounds vigorous enough to come back if it gets hammered by winter storms.

[JayG]

The daisy-flowered bush diospyros was trying to think of is Olearia haastii - an upright evergreen shrub which also loves full sun and resists strong salt-laden winds - another possibility - mmmm - again not sure.

Don't know if your watched last Friday's Gardener's World (just got round to it today  ) but it featured the "Chatham Island Daisy Tree" (Olearia traversii) used to filter the wind and absorb salt to enable a fantastic flower garden to thrive behind it. The garden is on the north coast of Cornwall, and the owner says the garden would last no more than a year without it.

Haven't done any further research to find out what differences there are (if any) between O. haastii and O. traversii but I thought it may be of interest to you. Link to O. traversii.

[Lesleyk]

Yes, JayG, I did see that episode of Gardeners World and I'm interested in trying the Olearia hastii.  Mind you, I have found that my Hebe hedge is brilliant, and the Olearia I did try before (not hastii but it does grow a lot around here) was as much a victim of the strong winds as most other plants!