To establish plants successfully in exposed situations it is essential to form a windbreak or shelter belt against the prevailing coastal wind. It is best to develop a wind-filtering screen of trees or shrubs, but polypropylene webbing or woven hurdles of willow or hazel are alternatives. It is not advisable to use solid structures such as walls or fences, as these can create turbulence and add to the problems. A windbreak can reduce wind on its leeward side for a distance of ten times its height.

Once a barrier has been established, it may be possible to grow quite a wide range of coastal-tolerant plants.

Mulching with shingle, flint, grit or gravel will provide sharp drainage while conserving moisture at the roots and aid the cultivation of an even wider range of plants.

Suitable Plants

(n) suited to colder coastal areas in the north
(m) suited to especially milder coastal areas including the south and south west
(e) evergreen
(v) variegated foliage
AGM - The RHS Award of Garden Merit

For a larger range of suitable plants see RHS Find a Plant.

Trees tolerant of full exposure to sea winds

Acer pseudoplatanus (n)
Alnus glutinosa (common alder) (n) - Native to GB and Ireland
Carpinus betulus ‘Chartreuse’ (hornbeam) (n) - Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland
Crataegus (hawthorn) including C. laevigata 'Crimson Cloud' AGM - Cultivar of a native to GB, C. monogyna -Native to GB and Ireland and C. persimilis 'Prunifolia' AGM (n)
Cupressus macrocarpa (e) (v)
Fraxinus angustifolia, F. excelsior
Juniperus scopulorum cultivars (e)
Pinus mugo (dwarf mountain pine) (n), P. nigra (European black pine) (n), 
P. pinaster (maritime pine), P. pinea AGM (stone pine), P. thunbergii (Japanese black pine),
P. radiata (Monterey pine) (e) all
Populus alba (white poplar) (n), P. tremula - Native to GB and Ireland (common aspen)
Quercus cerris (Turkey oak), Q. ilex AGM (holm oak) (e), Q. petraea (sessile oak) - Native to GB and Ireland, Q. robur (common oak) - Native to GB and Ireland
Salix alba var. vitellina 'Yelverton' AGM - Variety of an Archaeophyte to GB and Ireland
Thuja plicata (e)

Trees for planting slightly back from the sea

Acer platanoides AGM (Norway maple)
Arbutus unedo (e) - Native to Ireland 
Betula pendula - Native to GB and Ireland
Castanea sativa ‘Albomarginata’ AGM – Cultivar of archaeophyte to GB and Ireland
Castanea sativa
Cercis siliquastrum
Cordyline australis (e)
Crataegus laevigata (hawthorn) - Native to GB
Elaeagnus 'Quicksilver'
Genista aetnensis AGM
Ginkgo biloba AGM
Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis 'Sunburst' 
Griselinia littoralis AGM (e)
Ilex × altaclerensis, I. aquifolium AGM (e) - Native to GB and Ireland
Laburnum
Laurus nobilis (bay) (e)
Phillyrea latifolia (e)
Picea abies, P. omorika AGM (e)
Pinus sylvestris AGM (Scots pine) - Native to GB
Podocarpus nivalis, P. salignus (e)  
Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' AGM 
Sorbus aria ‘Lutescens’ AGM (whitebeam) (n) – Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland
Sorbus aucuparia ‘Sheerwater Seedling’ AGM (rowan) (n) - Native to GB and Ireland
Syringa vulgaris

Shrubs for exposed situations liable to salt winds

Berberis (n), including Berberis vulgaris - Native to GB and Ireland
Baccharis patagonica (n)
Bupleurum fruticosum (n) (e)
Elaeagnus × ebbingei (n)
Euonymus japonicus (Japanese spindle) (n) (e)
Hippophae rhamnoides AGM (sea buckthorn) (n) - Native to GB
Lonicera nitida (n), L. pileata (n) (e)
Olearia × haastii, O. ilicifolia, O. macrodonta AGM,  O. phlogopappa 'Comber's Blue', O. traversii (e) all
Prunus spinosa (n) - Native to GB and Ireland
Pyracantha (n)
Rhamnus alaternus 'Argenteovariegata' AGM (e) (v)
Rosa rubiginosa, R. spinosissima (n) Natives to GB and Ireland
Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' AGM PBR – Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland (n), S. racemosa (n)
Tamarix tetrandra

Shrubs for open situations slightly back from the sea

Argyrocytisus battandieri (pineapple broom)
Brachyglottis (e)
Buddleja davidii, B. globosa AGM
Ceanothus including C. × delileanus 'Gloire de Versailles AGM, C. × pallidus 'Perle Rose' AGM, 
C. 'Autumnal Blue' AGM (e), C. thrysiflorus var. repens AGM (e)
Cistus including C. creticus, C. × cyprius AGM, C. dansereaui 'Decumbens' AGM (e) all
Colutea arborescens (m)
Cytisus × kewensis AGM, C. nigricans 'Cyni' AGM, C. × praecox AGM, C. scoparius
Cytisus ‘Lena’ AGM – Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland
Genista lydia AGM, G. 'Porlock' AGM
Genista tinctoria - Native to GB and Ireland   
Lavandula including L. angustifolia 'Hidcote' AGM (e)
Phlomis chrysophylla AGM, P. fruticosa AGM, P. italica, P. lanata (e) all
Shrub roses including Rosa [Harlow Carr] = 'Aushouse', R. [Hyde Hall] = 'Ausbosky',
R. 'Roseraie de l'Hay' AGM, R. [Wild Edric] = 'Aushedge' AGM

Shrubs for hedges with some protection from direct sea-wind

Ageratina ligustrina (syn. Eupatorium ligustrinum) (e)
Berberis darwinii (e)
Cotoneaster lacteus AGM, C. franchettii, C. simonsii (e) all
Elaeagnus × ebbingei AGM, E. pungens (e)
Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' AGM, E. rubra 'Crimson Spire' AGM, E. rubra var. macrantha (e) all
Fuchsia magellanica AGM, F. magellanica var. gracilis 'Versicolor' AGM (v), F. 'Mrs Popple' AGM
Griselinia littoralis AGM (e)
Ilex aquifolium AGM (e) - Native to GB and Ireland 
Lonicera nitida, L. pileata (e)
Olearia × haastii (e) 
Pittosporum tenuifolium (e)
Prunus spinosa - Native to GB and Ireland
Veronica salicifolia (e)

Additional shrubs for planting after a windbreak is established

Abelia × grandiflora AGM
Acca sellowiana (pineapple guava) (m)
Callistemon (e)
Ceratostigma willmottianum [Forest Blue] = 'Lice' AGM
Cestrum elegans (e), C. 'Newellii' AGM (e), C. parqui AGM (m)
Choisya (e)
Convolvulus cneorum (e)
Coprosma cultivars (e) (m)
Corokia cotoneaster (e), C. virgata cultivars (e)
Cotinus coggygria AGM
Dichroa febrifugia (m)
Dodonaea viscosa (e) (m)
Erica arborea var. alpina AGM, E. lusitanica AGM (e), E. × veitchii 'Exeter' AGM (e) all
Forsythia
Grevillea 'Canberra Gem' AGM (e), G. rosmarinifolia AGM (e)
Halimium (e)
× Halimiocistus (e)
Hibiscus syriacus
Jovellana violacea AGM
Lavandula (e)
Lavatera × clementii, L. maritima AGM
Leptospermum 'Silver Sheen' AGM (e), L. scoparium 'Red Damask' AGM (e)
Leycesteria formosa
Lomatia myricoides, L. tinctoria (e) (m)
Ozothamnus ledifolius, O. rosmarinifolius (e) 
Perovskia atriplicifolia AGM
Phormium tenax (e)
Pittosporum tenuifolium (e), P. tobira AGM (e)
Potentilla fruticosa
Prostanthera cuneata AGM (e), P. 'Poorinda Ballerina' (e)
Pseudopanax lessonii 'Gold Splash' AGM (e) (v)
Pseudowintera colorata (e) (v)
Ribes odoratum, R. sanguineum
Romneya coulteri AGM
Rosa, including Rosa pimpnellifolia and Rosa spinosmissima - Natives to GB and Ireland
Rosmarinus officinalis (e)
Rubus 'Benenden' AGM, R. lineatus, R. spectabilis 'Olympic Double'
Salix exigua AGM, S. fargesii AGM, S. lanata AGM - Native to GB
Salvia greggii (autumn sage) (e), S. × jamensis (e), S. microphylla (e)
Sambucus racemosa
Santolina chamaecyparissus (e), S. pinnata (e), S. rosmarinifolia (e)
Sophora molloyi 'Dragons Gold' (e)
Spartium junceum
Spiraea
Syringa × laciniata, S. meyeri 'Palibin' AGM, S. 'Red Pixie'
Teucrium fruticans (e), T × lucidrys (e)
Trachycarpus fortunei AGM (e)
Veronica - shrubby, syn. Hebe (e)
Viburnum × bodnantense cultivars, V. davidii (e)

Wall shrubs and climbers for sheltered walls

Azara microphylla AGM
Billardiera longiflora AGM 
Campsis radicans
Celastrus orbiculatus
Cissus striata (e)
Clianthus puniceus (e)
Dregea sinensis
Eccremocarpus scaber (Chilean glory flower) 
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris AGM, H. seemannii (e) 
Jasminum beesianum, J. officinale 'Argenteovariegatum' AGM (v)
Muehlenbeckia complexa
Parthenocissus quinquefolia AGM (Virginia creeper)
Passiflora caerulea AGM
Ribes speciosum AGM (fuchsia-flowered currant)
Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' AGM
Sophora Sun King = 'Hilsop' AGM (e)
Trachelospermum jasminoides AGM (e)
Tropaeolum tuberosum var. lineamaculatum 'Ken Aslet' AGM

Rock garden plants

Alchemilla conjuncta, A. erythropoda AGM
Allium, including Allium sphaerocephalon  AGM - Native to GB and Ireland
Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana AGM
Armeria maritima  (sea thrift) - Native to GB and Ireland
A. cirratum
Aurinia saxatilis AGM
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides AGM 
Chionodoxa
Crocus (some)
Dianthus alpinus cultivars
Diascia barberae cultivars, D. vigilis AGM
Erigeron aureus 'Canary Bird' AGM, E. karvinskianus AGM
Erodium
Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus AGM
Helianthemum, including Helianthemum ‘Wisley Primrose’ AGM – Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland
Hypericum olympicum AGM
Jasminum parkeri
Nerine bowdenii AGM
Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' AGM
Phlox subulata
Pulsatilla vulgaris AGM - Native to GB
Rhodanthemum hosmariense (m)
Saxifraga (n)
Silene uniflora - Cultivar of Native to GB and Ireland
Tulipa species
Watsonia (m)

Hardy perennials

Achillea, including A.‘Cerise Queen’ – Cultivar of native to GB
Agapanthus
Alcea rosea
Althaea officinalis - Native to GB
Amaryllis belladonna AGM
Anemone × hybrida 
Catananche caerulea
Centranthus ruber 
Cortaderia selloana
Crambe cordifolia AGM
Crambe maritima - Native to GB and Ireland
Crinum x powellii​
Crocosmia
Cynara
Cynoglossum amabile AGM, C. nervosum and Cynoglossum officinale - Native to GB and Ireland
Dianthus, including Dianthus armeria - Native to GB and Ireland
Dierama pulcherrimum
Echinops
Erigeron
Eryngium, including Eryngium maritimum - Native to GB and Ireland 
Eupatorium cannabinum - Native to GB and Ireland
Euphorbia characias AGM, E. griffithii
Hemerocallis
Hylotelephium ‘Red Cauli’ AGM (syn. Sedum telephium) – Cultivar of native to GB
Iris germanica AGM, I. unguicularis AGM
Kniphofia
Leucanthemum including Leucanthemum vulgare - Native to GB and Ireland 
Limonium platyphyllum 
Limonium vulgare - Native to GB and Ireland 
Lychnis chaledonica AGM, L. coronaria, L. viscaria
Malva arborea - Native to GB and Ireland
Malva sylvestris - Archaeophyte of GB and Ireland
Salvia × superba
Scrophularia auriculata - Native to GB and Ireland
Stachys byzantina
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (syn. Aster novae-angliae), S. novi-belgii (syn. Aster novi-belgii) 
Veronica longifolia, V. spicata, including Veronica spicata ‘Royal Candles’- Cultivar of native to GB and Ireland