Coastal habitats are mesmerizing. As visitors, we often keep our gaze on the sea, yet the plant life is worth our attention too. As residents, we cherish the view, but again we should carefully consider how to support it with plants. So what if observing plants in the wild could inform how to plant a little corner of seaside paradise? And, even better, what if we could suggest with plants a seaside location without even having it?
CYAN Horticulture The Cape Point Nature Reserve in southwestern South Africa is a famous coastal scene, one that busloads of tourists and a handful of hikers visit every day. This narrow finger of land is blown by ceaseless winds and battered with relentless waves — it is treacherous water to sail.

Fynbos, a dense and low matrix of evergreen shrubs, and Restio, a local botanical specialty somewhere between grass and horsetail, elegantly cover the ground. CYAN Horticulture At the base of taller shrubs, a plethora of small treasures nestle between logs and rocks at Cape Point. Protected from the salt spray and the drying wind, gems like this mini blue daisy (Felicia sp) thrive in less-than-average soil.

Mean and lean are key to cultivation for a majority of true seaside plants, so refrain from too much fertilizer and irrigation. CYAN Horticulture A hemisphere away, in Tofino, British Columbia, lies a very different but no less dramatic seascape. The trees of the cool, temperate rainforest that blankets this territory adapt to the wind and salt spray by diminishing in height and acquiring impressive, sculpted silhouettes. Plants creep as close to the beach as possible. CYAN Horticulture As soon as a rock turns its back to the water, or when a sand dune stands up proudly, plants colonize the restful microclimate created. In the garden we should carefully observe the lay of the land and identify those microclimates, natural or man-made, to take full advantage of them.

On this rock in Tolfino happily trails a native monkey flower (Mimulus sp). CYAN Horticulture Such microclimates are often very micro. On a beach in South Africa, a raised stone was enough for this strawflower (Helichrysum sp) to spread itself and bloom generously, deprived of any competition. One wonders if it enjoys the view at all. CYAN Horticulture These Sitka spruces (Picea sitchensis) normally reach over 200 feet tall, yet here they are overcrowded and dwarfed by the spit from the sea.

The outline of this thicket vaguely reminds us of the grassed sand dunes of other seaside locales. Both are part of the vernacular that should be cherished in any seaside garden design project. CYAN Horticulture Seaside gardens are no place for lush and supple foliage, abundant and titanic flowers. Here plants have dense foliages made of thick, leathery leaves. Lavender (Lavandula spp), of Mediterranean origin, perfectly suits this space. CYAN Horticulture Similarly, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis cvs) seems a perfect candidate for an exposed spot on the sea. At the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, this rosemary gracefully drapes over a sand-colored stone, a detail adding greatly to the design. CYAN Horticulture Plenty of perennials and shrubs adapt to harsh seaside locations in colder climates too. Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa cvs, zones 2 to 8), beach grass of various kinds and sweet gale (Myrica gale, zones 2 to 6, shown here), are a few examples. Even without the ocean view, this vignette would suggest the sea in any geographic location. The low, grayish ground cover, the tufted grasses and the sand-colored pavers do the trick ... as well as the wisely positioned driftwood bench. Ronald F. DiMauro Architects, Inc. Again, a simple planting supports this seaside location. Note the exposed ground around the plants in the foreground; its sandy color ties in directly with the sandy beach nearby (as does the wood on the deck), making the whole scene that much more convincing. The sand dune is another feature typical of coastal environments that can be reinterpreted in a garden.

Here a mound of soil partially screens off the residence. With their ability to sway in the slightest breeze and the tan color of their inflorescences, these grasses transport us straight to Nantucket. Elemental Design Group You can suggest water with large, undulating drifts of silver-colored or blue-flowered plants, such as this verbena (Verbena sp). Consider also lavender (Lavandula spp), fescues (Festuca spp), blue wheatgrass (Elymus magellanicus, zones 6 to 9) and dwarf Arctic willow (Salix purpurea 'Nana', zones 4 to 8). Cottage Home, Inc. Once you've accomplished all your gardening chores and no more hiking is required for further inspiration, you can sit at the water's edge and look away, above and beyond all plants, far, far away ...

More in this series: Grasslands to Garden | Ideas for a Woodland Garden
Devise a Desert Garden | Mighty Mountain Gardens