Despite milder winters, selecting plants for a coastal garden can be difficult. These exposed sites often bear the full brunt of weather, a near constant bath of fine mist of salt-laden water. They have soil that's usually sandy, free draining, and may have a high pH. No wonder plants struggle! Here are 25 choice plants that not only survive, but flourish in these challenging conditions. We've grouped them by type to make it easier to find what you're looking for. This is but a small selection of what you'll find at monrovia.com. (Note that some plants can tolerate direct ocean spray while others need some protection. Consult your local garden center for more information.)
Shrubs
Christmas Bush
Zones: 7 – 9
Allgold Broom
Zones: 6 – 9
Pink Princess Escallonia
Zones: 7 – 9
Blue Enchantress® Hydrangea
Zones: 4 – 9
Blue Gem Westringia
Zones: 9 – 10
Pink Rugosa Rose
Zones: 3 – 9
Canadale Gold Wintercreeper
Zones: 4 – 9
Lindsayi Hebe
Zones: 7 – 11
Conifers
Black Dragon Japanese Cedar
Zones: 5 – 9
Austrian Pine
Zones: 4 – 8
Bosnian Pine
Zones: 4 – 8
Blue Chip Juniper
Zones: 3 – 9
Grasses
Blue Dune Lyme Grass
Zones: 4 – 9
Regal Mist® Pink Muhly Grass
Zones: 6 – 9
Northern Sea Oats
Zones: 4 – 9
Cabaret Japanese Silver Grass
Zones: 5 – 9
Perennials
Cotton Tail Thrift
Zones: 3 – 9
Moody Blues Mauve Speedwell
Zones: 4 – 8
Bells of Fire™ Esperanza
Zones: 9 – 11
Blue Hobbit Dwarf Sea Holly
Zones: 4 – 11
Cosmic™ Pink Swirl Dianthus
Zones: 6 – 10
Sea Lavender
Zones: 10 – 11
Rozanne Cranesbill
Zones: 4 – 10
Ashdown Forest English Lavender
Zones: 5 – 9