Landscaping on oceanfront property is never easy! This Carmel property has been a great testing ground for plants that can withstand the dense salty air during winter storms and on- shore breezes.

Many plants in the landscape’s overall palette have a moderate to high salt tolerance, but some winter storms can prove to be just too salty even for the hardiest of beachfront plants. We have had the most success on the oceanfront with Westrigia fruticosa “Grey wall” or Coast Rosemary, for low hedging, Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ Rosemary for a low groundcover, and a great seaside perennial called Limonium or Sea Lavender. Some annuals also have proven to have some degree of salt tolerance like Geraniums.

If you are having bad luck keeping your plants alive at a seaside property, it would be a good idea to go to your local beach and take a look at what is growing naturally in the landscape with no maintenance. It’s a great place to start when looking for salt tolerant plants in your area!