Plants for sandy soils with soft pink blooms
Plenty of plants, of a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, thrive in sandy soil, so it’s perfectly possible to create a full and attractive border even in these sometimes challenging conditions
Quick facts
- Sandy soil drains very quickly, so plants can be vulnerable in drought conditions
- Sandy soil is quick to warm in spring, though cools more quickly in autumn too
- Sandy soil can benefit from adding plenty of organic matter like homemade garden compost or well-rotted manure
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The planting plan
This planting design provides a range of plants that, once established, will thrive together in sandy soil to provide a variety of interest throughout the year. A simple planting plan helps to create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
Plants for sandy soil with soft pink blooms
Choosing plants for sandy soils
The Pittosporum, Escallonia and Abelia provide year-round evergreen structure. The Gypsophila and the dense Miscanthus provide some groundcover, so will help to reduce soil erosion, suppress weed growth and minimise water loss from the soil surface. Some of these plants will also attract vital pollinators to the garden.
Additional organic mulching, preferably with homemade compost, can further improve soil moisture retention and weed suppression. It will also help with your grainy soil structure, helping to bind it. Mulches should be spread when the soil is already moist, to help trap some of that moisture before it dries out in summer.
1 - Pittosporum ‘Arundel Green’
2 - Abelia ‘Edward Groucher’
3 - Verbascum ‘Pink Domino’
4 - Gypsophila ‘Rosenschleier’
5 - Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’
6 - Escallonia ‘Peach Blossom’
2 - Abelia ‘Edward Groucher’ is a semi-evergreen shrub with young foliage tinged red-bronze. The arching stems bear abundant lilac-pink flowers, each sheathed in a persistent red-pink calyx, givng it an exceptionally long season of interest.
3 - Verbascum ‘Pink Domino’, a herbaceus perennial, makes drifts through the border with erect spikes of dark-eyed pink flowers in summer.
4 - Gypsophila ‘Rosenschleier’ makes up the foreground of the design. This compact, semi-evergreen perennial forms a low mound of slender stems with narrow grey-green leaves and large clouds of small pale pink flowers in summer.
5 - Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’, a deciduous grass, forms a compact clump of arching narrow leaves with white midribs and feathery, reddish flowers in late summer. These turn pale brown and last well into winter.
6 - Escallonia ‘Peach Blossom’ is an evergreen bushy shrub with small, glossy leaves and clusters of small, rosy pink flowers from early summer.
About sandy soils
Once the plants are established, this will also reduce the need for extra inputs that less well-adapted plants would need, such as excessive water and fertiliser.
The challenge of sandy soil
Plants that enjoy good drainage are well suited to sandy soils, including many bulbs and other plants with underground buds that dislike winter wet. If your plants have adapted to naturally thrive in those conditions, they will grow much better.
Why choose a sustainable planting combination?
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