Trees for Oceanfront Property
Plant Salt and Wind-Tolerant Shelter Trees in the Waterfront Garden
Jul 15, 2009
Seaside gardening can be a challenge. The winds blow in from the ocean, the salt sprays, and plants find it difficult to grow. Few garden plants can withstand the ocean winds, so gardeners who live near the ocean need to be creative in their landscape design. Creating shelter with salt and wind-tolerant tree species makes quieter, more protected spaces in the waterfront garden.
Creating Shelter in the Seaside Garden
Waterfront property is noted for its high winds and winter storms. In addition to dealing with salty soil, protecting a seaside garden from cold winds is a top priority for those who are landscaping next to the ocean. One simple and beautiful way to protect a seaside garden is to plant a tree. Trees act like a prairie shelterbelt, providing wind protection and shade for summer days on the beach. Choosing trees that naturally grow near the beach ensures that they are good species for a salty, windy environment.
The Madrone: Peeling Bark and Evergreen Leaves
The madrone tree is also called by its scientific name, Arbutus menziesii. This tree with striking bark is a beautiful windbreak for the waterfront garden. The arbutus tree grows naturally in areas along the California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia coast. It’s an evergreen tree without needles, so it is also a bit of a botanical oddity. While most trees with leaves drop their leaves in the fall, the arbutus keeps its leaves all year. This affords additional protection from fall and winter storms.
Shore Pine: The Tiny Twisting Evergreen
Shore pine is a variant on the lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta. This diminutive tree with twisted branches is a common sight on the shores of North America. All pines have needles and are evergreen. While lodgepole pines inland can grow up to 40 meters tall, the shore pine reacts to its extreme environment by growing more slowly. Often captured in seaside photos of Alaska down to California, this tree looks like it is hunkering down against the wind.
Laurel Leaf Willow: A Romantic Cascade of Leaves
Willow trees are famous for living beside water, with their long branches cascading over a pond. The laurel leaf willow (Salix pentandra) is a shelterbelt tree on the prairies. It is also very hardy in salty soil, making it a good candidate for planting by the ocean. This tough tree is hardy in almost any environment. The thick, shiny leaves are quite large for a willow tree and drop late in the fall, so it provides shelter for much of the year.
In nature, oceanfront trees create shelter for plants and animals who live on the edge between the marine and forest environment. In a seaside garden, a landscaper can emulate nature, providing shelterbelts for garden plants using hardy tree species. The sheltered garden can host a wider variety of species than the garden that is fully exposed to the fierce and salty wind.
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