Gardens exposed to the sea are subject to the harshness of sea winds and spray. To protect them effectively, a hedge composed of shrubs resistant to these specific conditions will provide a perfect protective barrier.
A windbreak hedge
At the seaside, winds are often very present. Waves break on the shore in micro-droplets of water carried by sea breezes covering the surrounding vegetation with salt. Knowing this, the plants chosen for your windbreak hedge will have to withstand such conditions and be persistent to protect the garden all year long.
The best hedge shrubs to withstand salt spray
Here is a selection of shrubs specially chosen for their resistance to wind and spray:
Viburnums
Hardy and easy to grow, even for novice gardeners, viburnums or "viburnums" make beautiful flowering hedges in winter. Some varieties are very fragrant, which adds to the plant's charm.
Pittosporum
This is a very large genus with nearly 200 species! Plenty to choose from. Among them, the Japanese pittosporum, very hardy and resistant to sea spray and prevailing winds. It forms dense hedges with beautiful shiny green foliage. In late spring, its white flowers add to the charm of the garden.
Elaeagnus
Evergreen foliage with silvery tones, resistance to cold and difficult maritime conditions make this shrub the ideal subject to install as a windbreak hedge in a seaside garden. These very discreet flowers give off a sweet carnation scent.
Oleander
Reserved for very mild climates, the oleander is an ornamental subject of choice for creating hedges with flowers for long months (May to October in Mediterranean regions). Some varieties of oleander offer, in addition to the colorful bloom, a very sweet almond fragrance. The range of colors extends from pure white to bright red through all shades of pink. Be careful, the yellow varieties are more fragile.
The tamarisk
A shrub with very light foliage, the tamarisk produces beautiful pink or almost white flowering stems during the summer. Mix species in your hedge to extend the blooming period. Tamarix parviflora starts the ball rolling in April and Tamarix ramisissima takes over in late summer.
Dodonea
For gardens in the warmer parts of our country, Dodonea is an ideal hedge plant. Its bronze green foliage turns deep purple in autumn. It can grow to nearly 4 meters in height quite quickly if the growing conditions are right.
