Yard Plants for a Beach Look
Beach plants tend to develop low and scrubby within their native environment. Don’t expect them to behave in this way when implanted in your garden, however. Without the pressures of the beach environment, like salt spray and winds, their growth habit may be quite different. When creating a beach-themed lawn, choose native plants and you can not go wrong.
Groundcover
A common groundcover you’ll find on beaches is a type of Ceanothus (C. thyrsiflorus repens), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8a through 10. Tolerant of a wide array of temperatures and soil conditions, it provides delicate blue blooms to your beach-themed garden. Another attractive flowering groundcover to think about is the seaside daisy (Ergeron glaucus). Seaside daisy is tolerant of full sun in cooler areas as well as partial shade where summers get warm. On top of that, it attracts butterflies.
Grasses
Beach grasses are component of any vision of wind-swept sand dunes. Whether you choose to produce grasses that the dominant plant on your beach-themed garden or use them as accent pieces, then you’ll realize that they add the last thematic touch to your garden. Look for seashore bluegrass (Poa macrantha), or any bentgrass, reedgrass or oatgrass to give authenticity to your beach-themed garden.
Shrubs
The baby bear manzanita (Arctostaphylos densiflora x bakeri “Baby Bear”), hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, is a small rounded shrub, ideal wherever you want a pop of color. It also works well when planted in groups, to form a hedge. Baby bear produces pink blossom clusters and becomes a small hummingbird magnet while in bloom. For a little place to fill, the coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), growing in USDA zones 5 through 11, is one of the plants that succumbs to the ecological pressures of life in the beach and remains low-growing. In the garden, however, it may grow taller and require pruning to keep it into the size you desire.
Trees
For a touch of the tropical, consider trees. Many palm species do well in colder climates. Think about the California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera), the exact same tree that adorns the Hollywood strip. Hardy in USDA zones 8b through 11, this palm is frost tolerant, requiring little water and hardly any upkeep. It does tend to be somewhat pricey, however. Less expensive, and not quite as tall is that the saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), which enjoys full sun and grows slowly within USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11.