Plants for windy gardens: blue and pink flowering
Plenty of plants, of a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, thrive in windy locations, so it's possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Windy conditions can increase moisture loss from plants
- Windy conditions can occur in urban/city locations as well as more exposed sites
- Plants that have adapted to windy conditions (e.g., with silver or hairy leaves) can thrive in these sites
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The planting plan
This planting design for a challenging location provides a range of plants that, once established, will thrive together in an exposed windy environment while still providing a variety of interest throughout the year.
Plants for a windy site with blue and pink flowers
© James Lawrence
Choosing plants for a windy garden
In addition this scheme provides some seasonal interest for pollinators from the Cotoneaster, Nepeta and Geranium in summer.
The Nepeta and Geranium spread to cover any bare soil, reducing soil surface erosion and help to reduce unwanted seedlings from establishing. Groundcover plants can also reduce soil moisture loss from the wind stripping moisture from exposed soil surfaces.
Additional organic mulching can further help with soil moisture retention and weed suppression.
1 - Ceanothus ‘Autumnal Blue’
2 - Miscanthus sinensis ‘Sarabande’
3 - Cotoneaster 'Cornubia’
4 - Cistus creticus
5 - Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’
6 - Nepeta × faassenii 'Purrsian Blue'
7 - Geranium dalmaticum
8 - Salvia ‘Negrito’
1 - Ceanothus ‘Autumnal Blue’ - an evergreen shrub with compact trusses of light blue flowers from late summer into autumn.
2 - Miscanthus sinensis ‘Sarabande’ - reliably flowering deciduous grass with narrow, arching foliage and feathery silver flowerheads in late summer.
3 - Cotoneaster 'Cornubia’ - a dense evergreen shrub with an arching habit, and narrow dark green leaves.
4 - Cistus creticus - forms a compact, bushy, evergreen shrub, often with shaggily hairy stems. Flowers are variable in shade from deep purple-pink to rose pink with a yellow centre. Leaves are slightly scented.
5 - Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ - a bushy evergreen perennial with narrow, dark grey-green leaves and long lasting, erect flowers of rich mauve through spring and summer.
6 - Nepeta × faassenii ‘Purrsian Blue’ - a compact perennial making good spreading groundcover. Greyish-green, toothed, aromatic leaves clothe the stems and densely-packed blue flowers with dark purple calyces are borne on upright spikes in summer and autumn.
7 - Geranium dalmaticum - an evergreen perennial forming a low mat with glossy dark green, fragrant, deeply-lobed leaves and flat, clear light pink flowers in summer.
8 - Salvia ‘Negrito’ - an erect, clump-forming perennial bearing oblong leaves with crenate margins. Flowers are 2-lipped, violet to purple, in long, dense branched flower spikes.
About windy locations
By choosing plants that are adapted to windy locations you can keep your border looking good, growing well, and once established they will reduce the need for additional resources such as watering. Plants typically associated with coastal areas can also be effective in windy locations.
A simple planting plan helps create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
The challenge of growing plants in windy locations
Why choose a sustainable planting combination?
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