Helpful hints from Dobbies on creating an oasis of coastal charm for your staycation
With most holiday plans sidelined, getting away from it all means embracing the staycation. Here’s how to get a seaside look in your garden. The experts at Dobbies Garden Centres have put together their top plants and advice to recreate a British beach vibe, whether you have a balcony or a large garden inland.
Get a seaside look in your garden – Landscaping
Coastal calm can be created with a colour palette of whitewashed walls and fences, pale woods, and grey and concrete pots filled with greenery, adding pops of colour to your planting scheme. A key feature of any British beach is sand and pebbles. If you have space, choose gravel over lawn (that’s what my garden is based on, no more mowing). Install raised bed planters and winding pebble pathways or wooden sleepers.
Top plants for coastal style
- Rosemary: This hardy shrub will scent your garden beautifully – try fellow herbs sage and thyme too. An outdoor herb patch will provide you with a supply of fresh herbs for outdoor cooking.
- Cordyline australis (cabbage tree): This tropical-looking plant thrives in harsh environments, which is why it does so well by the sea. Ideal for sunny spots, it will provide a seaside look in your garden.
- Sea holly (Eryngium): These spiky plants grow upright and are long-lasting. With striking, thistle-like flowers, they prefer a sunny spot and dry, well-draining soil. Loved by bees and butterflies.
- Hydrangeas: A great plant for sandy soil, and enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity. Available in many more shades than the traditional pink or blue, and with a host of new varieties. Look for sea blues, lilacs and soft pinks for a country coastal feel. Keep them well-watered in hot weather.
- Lavender: When well established, fragrant lavender is drought-tolerant and low maintenance. They work well in pots on the patio or on either side of your front door.
- Ornamental grasses: Coping well in windy conditions and often found within dunes, grasses are the perfect addition to complete any seaside look. Plant in groups and choose from varieties including Calamagrostis Arundinacea or variegated Carex Oshimensis Evergold. The latter will thrive best in borders or near ponds, as it likes to be kept moist.
For more information, visit www.dobbies.com.
