The Top 10 Plants for Seaside Gardens
These perennials resist deer and tolerate wind and salt spray, making them ideal for exposed coastal gardens.
African Lily
This vibrant flower adds an unexpected touch of the tropics to Northern gardens. When winter arrives, pots can be tended as houseplants indoors in a sunny spot.
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Allium
Allium's includes purple and sky-blue varieties, as well as chives. Because their scent is oniony rather than floral, they repel animals. Good drainage is important.
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Anise Hyssopp
This flower attracts butterflies with its licorice scent and violet hue. The 3- to 5-foot-tall, drought-tolerant trouper thrives in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.
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Bleeding Heart
Belying its delicate appearance, Bleeding Heart holds up well in winter. Plants prefer sunlight to partial shade and can be cut back midsummer, after foliage fades.
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Flowering Tobacco
Technically a tender perennial, Flowering tobacco can be grown almost anywhere as an annual. It lends grace and fragrance to beds and borders all summer.
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Lady's-Mantle
Snip off blossoms before they mature to keep this prolific self-sower in check. Afternoon shade will help prevent leaf scorch.
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Annual Poppies
They self-sow reliably wherever the sun is ample and the drainage is good. Seeds dormant in the soil can re-emerge unexpectedly years later.
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Russian Sage
Russian Sage stands tall—up to 4 feet. The lilac-blue sun worshipper, neither Russian nor sage but instead a Himalayan mint, yields four months of flowering.
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Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
If deadheaded faithfully, these flowers will bloom May through October. Divide it every three years and share the wealth with friends.
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Ornamental Grasses
When knitting a garden to the uncultivated landscape, Ornamental Grasses are useful. They dance in the breeze, lending extra dimension. Full sun required.