Coastal Gardening

It’s been a while since I mentioned how the garden is getting on but I’ve been spending some time on it recently so thought and update was due.

Most things are growing well despite the difficult conditions. Our soil is nothing but sand, the winds are ferocious most of the time and the air is salt laden. Not a great starting point for a glorious garden I know, but we’re working on it. The compost bins have been emptied and forked into the borders which is gradually improving the soil and as the various plants and hedges growing are beginning to provide some shelter.

The Gunnera is doing well and Morgan shelters under its large leaves if it starts raining. We also seem to be having quite a bit of success with the Hebes and Golden Elder so I’ve taken some cuttings of these so that we can create a few more little hedges here and there.

The recent winds which were pretty strong for the time of year (even for here) did a little damage, but thankfully my Pergola stood firm. Some leaves were broken on the Gunnera, the rose and Margarites have some windburn on them and some were blown over and the poppies were stripped of their flowers but most things seem to have survived.

I’ve even spent some money (shock, horror!) on some plants. The new acquisitions are some climbers for the pergola. A large Solanum (Chilean Potato Vine) for one side and a Honeysuckle and Polygonum (Russian Vine or Mile-a-Minute plant) for the other. It’s rare that we buy plants for the garden as we can never be sure how well they will fare here, but I couldn’t resist them. The Honeysuckle should be OK and the one out the front which came from a cutting is doing well, but the other plant may suffer from the wind. Only time will tell.

The garden won’t win any awards but considering the location and the fact that we’ve spent very little on plants it is coming along slowly but surely.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.