Comments on: Coastal Gardening – Wind

By: moira smith

moira smith — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 02:29:46 +0000

Help. we live in what must be the worst wind in the uk it’s on top of a cliff.
I would love to grow lovely things but I need a wind break space is no problem the garden is huge.
The wind seems to come from all directions there is nothing between us and the sea.
Beautiful but gales force winds nearly every week even in the summer

By: Mel

Mel — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:50:48 +0000

Hi there, just a correction on the Cabbage tree, Cordyline australis, it is a New Zealand native, Australia is a beautiful country, but were not part of it 🙂 thanks

By: Alan

Alan — Tue, 24 May 2011 07:11:41 +0000

In reply to Claire evans.

Hi Clare,
I feel your pain, it’s been pretty mad here the last few days – good for windsurfing though! I doubt there will be much you can do to revive the tomatoes and peppers, although they might come back on their own accord. I’m sure most of the herbs will be OK though. Most of them are a bit tougher as well.. Our peppers and tomatoes are still indoors thankfully. Although I did put out some beans, peas, courgettes and pumpkins out last week, but they are sheltered behind fences and larger, wind resistant plants so seem to have fared OK in the wind.

Looks like it might be a trip to the garden centre for some replacements for you though. 🙁

Al.

By: Claire evans

Claire evans — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:23:16 +0000

Help!!! I live a little up the welsh coast from you in north wales. Like you, we live right on the coast. I planted my veggies last week in 1/2 whiskey barrels. With the wind we’ve had this week my tomatoes and peppers are black from the wind. Is there anything I can do to rescue them? Alot of my herbs have been battered too but only on one side so I think I cam save those.
Hope you can help.
Claire

By: Aanee @ Flower Delivery

Aanee @ Flower Delivery — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:30:37 +0000

I live in the North West of Ireland.
And always wondered about a garden by the coast.

Alan, thanks for sharing you tips
I might give it a go soon 🙂

Aanee

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:57:40 +0000

Hi Shelley,
We don’t really have a problem with sunburnt plants here in Wales but I would advise leaving it and seeing how it recovers.

Al.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:20:13 +0000

Hello,

I live in Perth, Australia and have a Cordyline – purple sensation which got burnt this summer by the sun while I was away on holiday for a week when it also didn’t get watered. It now looks like it has died but a bit of it might still be alive. Could you advise me what the best way to handle this it – should I trim the dead leaves back and hope it re-shoots?

Thanks

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:09:03 +0000

Gregor… It won’t be easy, but persistence will get you there. As far as a specimen tree goes then I think your best bet will be one of the tough pines. I doubt that you’ll get it to grow straight but at least it should be able to survive the wind and salt spray. We also have quite a bit of success with the Cordylines here. I’m not sure how well they’ll do further North, but I have seen them growing on the Scottish islands quite well and once again they do well in the wind and the salt and will even grow vertically!

As far as hedging goes then the first thing I’d recommend is getting friendly with some other local gardeners and getting as many cuttings as you can from them. At least then if they don’t take and don’t survive in your harsh conditions then at least it won’t have cost you anything. That way you can feel free to experiment. The old favourites such as Escallonia and Griselina should do well.

We’ve just ordered some Goji Berry bushes to see how well they put up with the wind and sandy soil.

Good luck.
Al.

By: Gregor Mackenzie

Gregor Mackenzie — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:37:20 +0000

I live in the far north of Scotland (John O Groats).

My House is very coastal, i.e. the spray from the sea sometimes hits my windows and the salt then prevents me seeing from them.

I would still very much like to have a nice garden.

I am keen to plant some hedging for privacy and tree for a memorial.

Could you help me by giving some suggestions?