Gardening Flowers Perennials 15 Pretty Plants That Will Thrive in Seaside Gardens By Nicole Bradley Nicole Bradley Nicole Bradley is a Jane-of-all-trades when it comes to lifestyle writing. Skilled in understanding the ins and outs of home improvement and gardening, she is a former editor at Better Homes & Gardens. She has written about pets, beauty, and other lifestyle topics. In addition, she optimized SEO word content, a skill that came in handy when she took on her current job as an SEO editor for HomeTalk.Nicole graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in journalism and mass communication and a certificate in entrepreneurial management. Her first job was as a copyeditor at The Daily Iowan, where she fact-checked and monitored the sports and politics pages. Moving on to Putnam Media, she worked to produce business-to-business content and transcribed interviews.Later on, she became the founder and editorial director of Spoon University, responsible for recruiting over 20 employees before coming to Better Homes & Gardens. Her work for Kansas City Magazine allowed her to appear on Fox 4 news segments and produce news stories. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 12, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Photo: Tria Giovan Elevate an already-stunning ocean view by creating a showstopping seaside garden. These coastal perennials, annuals, and shrubs will put on a showstopping display of color from spring to fall, despite sandy soils, salt spray, and strong winds. Because they're so tough, these plants also would be good choices for just about any yard, whether your view is a beach, prairie, or mountaintop. 01 of 15 Daylily Dean Schoeppner Thriving just about anywhere you plant them, daylilies make a reliable choice for seaside gardens. They bear grassy foliage and flowers in a wide range of shades, from bright reds and deep purples to golden-yellows, eye-catching oranges, and creamy white. Name: Hemerocallis Size: To 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full to part sun in moist, well-drained soil Zones: 3-10 Buy It: Happy Returns Daylily ($20, The Home Depot) 02 of 15 Sea Oats Rob Cardillo Native to North America, this ornamental grass thrives just about anywhere you plant it (even in shade). Plus its name is a big clue that it works well as a coastal plant. Sea oats bears unique seed plumes that seem to dance in the breeze and attractive bronze foliage in fall. Test Garden Tip: Sea oats can be an aggressive spreader in the garden; prevent reseeding by cutting off seed stalks in late summer. Name: Chasmanthium latifolium Size: To 5 feet tall and 30 inches wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil; drought tolerant once established Zones: 4-8 03 of 15 Red-Hot Poker Laurie Dickson Add some vertical interest to seaside gardens with red-hot poker. This stately perennial offers strappy leaves, topped by spikes of red, orange, and yellow flowers in summer. It's an especially good plant for salty soil, but it's also heat- and drought-tolerant, plus it's a favorite of hummingbirds. Name: Kniphofia Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in moist, well-drained soil Zones: 5-9 04 of 15 Gaillardia Jamie Hadley Grow bold gaillardia (a tough perennial also known as blanket flower) for its long bloom season in seaside gardens; it flowers nonstop from summer to frost. It's also drought-resistant, so it thrives in the sandy and salty soils around lakes and oceans. Want more reasons to love it? Gaillardia is great for cutting and attracts scores of butterflies. Name: Gaillardia Size: To 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in average soil; can tolerate poor soils and drought Zones: 3-10 Buy It: Goblin Gaillardia ($15, Breck's) 05 of 15 Yarrow Bob Stefko Easy-growing yarrow is the perfect coastal plant for any sunny garden. It's virtually pest-free, makes a sturdy cut flower, and holds up to cold, drought, and windy conditions. Look for selections with blooms in shades of rich yellow, terra-cotta orange, deep red, bright pink, and pure white. Name: Achillea Size: To 3 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in well-drained, average soil; can tolerate drought Zones: 3-10 Buy It: New Vintage Red Yarrow ($13, Etsy) 06 of 15 Lantana Blaine Moats Tolerant of salty soil, lantana is the perfect plant to grow along the beach in seaside gardens. It has brightly colored flowers from summer to frost that almost guarantee that you'll see butterflies in your garden. You'll also enjoy this coastal plant's easy-care nature; it does not need deadheading or much other maintenance to look its best. Name: Lantana Size: To 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide in most conditions Growing Conditions: Full sun in moist, well-drained soil Zones: 8-11, but grown as an annual in colder regions Buy It: Lantana Mix ($17, The Home Depot) 07 of 15 Gazania Jay Graham Gardeners cherish gazanias in coastal gardens as much for their cheery, daisy-shape blooms in glowing shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, and white as for their tough nature. In warm-climate areas, these plants for salty soil are evergreen perennials, but they also can be used as seaside balcony plants for container gardens. Name: Gazania selections Size: To 1 foot tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in well drained soil; drought tolerant once established Zones: 4-10, but usually grown as an annual Buy It: New Day Mix Gazania Seeds ($3, Etsy) 08 of 15 Lavender Peter Krumhardt Double your pleasure by planting lavender in front of roses in seaside gardens. Both will fill your garden with scent. Lavender is an easy-care sandy soil plant that grows well along the beach. Name: Lavandula angustifolia Size: To 3 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in well-drained soil; can tolerate drought Zones: 5-10 Buy It: Lavender Grosso ($14, Walmart) 09 of 15 Hydrangea Jeff McNamara Although they look delicate, hydrangeas can be included in your coastal garden inspiration. They don't mind sandy soil and hold up well to wind too, so they're a beautiful addition to partly shaded sections of seaside gardens. Test Garden Tip: Most hydrangea varieties don't deal well with drought. Be sure to keep them well watered. Name: Hydrangea Size: To 7 feet tall and 12 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to full shade (depending on variety) in moist, well-drained soil Zones: 3-9 Buy It: Endless Summer Hydrangea ($31, The Home Depot) 10 of 15 Juniper William N. Hopkins Enjoy color and texture all year in seaside gardens with evergreen juniper. Happily, there's a wide range of these easy-growing coastal shrubs. Look for varieties with blue, green, or gold foliage, as well as low, creeping types; medium-size selections; and tall, narrow picks perfect for privacy. Name: Juniperus Size: To 65 feet tall and 20 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil; can tolerate drought Zones: 3-9 Buy It: Blue Rug Juniper ($31, The Home Depot) 11 of 15 Portulaca William N. Hopkins Drought-tolerant and tough-as-nails, portulaca (often called moss rose) is a perfect beach plant for salty soil. This coastal flower bears beautiful blooms on a low, creeping plant perfect for the front of the border or in window boxes, hanging baskets, and other containers in seaside gardens. It blooms in a range of shades from white and magenta to yellow, orange, and red. Test Garden Tip: Although portulaca is an annual, it commonly self-seeds in the garden so you may need to plant it only once. Name: Portulaca Size: To 9 inches tall and 1 foot wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in well-drained soil; can tolerate drought Zones: Annual Buy It: Double Yellow Moss Rose seeds ($1 for 1500, Etsy) 12 of 15 Geranium Peter Krumhardt Happy in any sunny spot, geraniums are an ideal coastal plant for seaside gardens. Look for varieties that have bright red blooms to catch the eye, or go with soft pinks or whites for a more soothing presentation. Name: Pelargonium Size: To 3 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil Zones: 10-11, but usually grown as an annual Buy It: Pinto Premium Geranium Mix seeds ($23, Walmart) 13 of 15 Cuphea Peter Krumhardt Colorful cuphea blooms its head off all summer long, producing bright red, pink, or orange flowers, even in the hottest weather or in salty soil. It also holds up well to drying winds, too, making it the perfect coastal plant. Though it is perennial in frost-free climates, it is usually grown as an annual. Name: Cuphea Size: To 30 inches tall and 3 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in moist, well-drained soil; drought tolerant once established Zones: 8-11 14 of 15 Sea Pink David Speer This adorable coastal groundcover has grassy foliage and round clusters of pink or white flowers in late spring and early summer, adding charm to seaside gardens. Sea pink, also called sea thrift, is a slow spreader, so you don't have to worry about it running rampant in sandy soil. Name: Armeria Size: To 1 foot tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun in well-drained, moist soil Zones: 4-8 Buy It: Armeria Flower Seeds ($2 for 100, Etsy) 15 of 15 Allium Mark Kane Available in all sorts of colors and sizes, alliums brighten up seaside gardens with their beautiful blooms in spring and summer. Also called ornamental onions, these bulbs prefer very well-drained soil so a sandy site is perfect for them. Name: Allium Size: To 5 feet tall (in bloom) Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Zones: 4-9 Buy It: Allium 'Gladiator' ($19 for 3, White Flower Farm) Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit