waterfront gardening

Hi everyone, I am helping plant a waterfront erosion control planting. This is for a beach house whidby island southern exposure. The home owner was loosing all there beach due to the big waves. They hired a company to chain all their dirftwood together and anchor it in. So now they want to plant in the sand pockets behind the driftwood. This doesn't have to look pretty but needs to be deep rooted and take the salt and wind abuse. I have tried to look online and all I find is florida or the south for plantings. All I really know is elymus grass and the wild rose, maybe ocean spray. Being a gardener I still would like it to look pretty if possible. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Heidi and dragonfly

Wow, Heidi - that's a challenge. I definitely think Ocean Spray would be a good solution and then grasses of all kinds. How would something like Scotch Broom do? I don't know why people dislike it so (except that it's allergy-causing, but so is most everything when it's in bloom) - I love it!!

Will keep thinking . . .

FYI on broom. Spanish Broom is a Class A noxious weed and Scotch Broom is a Class B noxious weed. Website: http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weed_list/weed_list.htm Did you know that broom can lie dormant and germinate up to 75 years after the seeds drop from the plant is the soil that they are in is disturbed?

When we bought our property it was covered in broom, both kinds. Most of the plants where 4-6 feet tall. We hand dug each and every one of them (we have an acre.) The stuff is a nightmare to get rid of once it is there. Just my opinion. The color is beautiful but not worth it to me.

ugh, I don't even think broom is attractive!

Kinnikinnick is tough stuff and easy, too. I wonder if it can handle beachfront? Or Manzanita, its cousin?

Hey Heidi.
Don't know what sites you looked at, maybe the same.
Thought this one was cool maybe a help to you?

http://www.elnativogrowers.com/SuitabilityLists/Erosion%20Control_Slope%20Stabilization.htm



This message was edited Jan 12, 2008 1:37 AM

Nice find Tills - really interesting list. I think Rhamnus is a wonderful plant rhamnus alaternafolia (spelling) is the variagated edged version (also called italian buckthorn) - it is used alot here for windbreak in seafront gardens - fabulous plant, and tough as boots.

Well, broom isn't invasive on my property (too wet and heavy soil, I think), so I'll stick to my original post. I still think it's nice and dependable and I'd rather have it around than so many other things . . . Rach, you feel about broom like I do about salmon berry. LOL

Nice plant suggestions, guys. Great link, Tills.



This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 7:35 PM

I hate scotch broom cant get rid of it once it finds a home, thank goodness they dont like my wetland area.

I just thought of two more plants that I just love -

Glaucum Flavum - Horned Poppy

Armeria Maritima - sea thrift

Scroll down to G for the horned poppy - I was going to give you the one picture but this is such a good collection couldn't resist.

www.amanita-photolibrary.co.uk/.../index.htm

shoot - link doesn't work, I'll try to get that again later.
This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 7:39 AM

This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 7:40 AM

How about this?

http://www.amanita-photolibrary.co.uk/photo_library/BI_plants/index.htm

Nice link. Some really neat plants there.

Love the picture of the larix forest.



This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 7:41 PM

Thats it K59! THANK YOU. Isn't that nice - so am I addicted - I'm supposed to be drying my hair

Addicted, shamicted. It's all relative.

Hope you have a great day.

Thankyou all for your help. I have made a few choices one is the wild rye or elymus or beach grass and then some of the wild roses. This isn't totally about looks it is more for soil erosion control. I have contacted the main native plant company in Seattle and she named a few but they are out of stock on most then she told me to call her supplier in Oregon and have left 2 messages with no reponse so now I have my list I can't find the plants. I need larger quaintites wholesale. This is the tought part about landscaping you get a game plan then can't find the plants. I'll keep trying and sooner or later I'll find them. It helps being a german stuborn tarus I'll find it. Thanks for the imput Heidi and Dragonfly

Good luck on your plant seach Heidi!

addicted shamicted - that is going to become a catch phrase! I can just feel it - it just spells out license! We all have permission to over indulge! Hoorahhhhh.

Yeah, Laurie, I'm pretty darn good at justifying what I want (not always the right path, but I like to stick to what I'm good at . . . hahahahah).

Heidi, good luck at finding the plants you want. Beach grass and wild roses - that sounds like a very cool combination. Good to know that you're a German Taurus. We won't waste time trying to push you around (my brother's a Taurus, so I know . . .).

Laurie I don't know what the word is and can't pronounce it either. I can guess but I'm blonde and that might be way off. Love the photo of the goofbag bush.

Cattledogs
I have a wild rose its a climber does what it wants when it wants, tried to make a arbor with it but that didn't work. I want to dig it up and make it go away. if you want it you can have it. I found it out it out in the field out back a long time ago.
I think I have a pic of it
Looking. I think thats it

Maybe we need a "make it go away" thread-at least for you folks a little closer together. I've got a few things in that same category myself. Nothing wrong with the plant, but....
Or, Tils, if Heidi isn't interested, and you can get the time off and are going to the Green Elephant, maybe you could bring it with you?

What do you want it? Its not hard to do cuttings of it, and the silly thing will start growing again if I leave any roots in the ground, The first time I moved it was to put the new mobile in and it grew out from under the siding, had a heck of a time getting it all out. Its a never to die I don't care what you do to it. But does have pretty flowers and very messy when they a spent.

Hi Tils, um, not sure if I want it either. The bloom color is nice. Someday I'd like a climber but it has to be a good-neighbor type that I can control well. Yours sounds like one of those tough old ones that aren't easy to manage. (I so wish I had the space you and other folks do! ) I just thought bringing it to the swap if Heidi doesn't want it would give you a nice big plant to trade for something else.

I liked your "Make it go away"-I've got a list of a few things that I want the same thing for. Problem is they're all the way down in Vancouver and too big for my car.

No if someone wants it they can come get it, otherwise I can plant it back to the field where it came from, its pretty but unruly for a small area, Its how can I say it like a Black Berry so to speak. I want normal roses.
What do you have you dont want?

I've got a lilac that's never bloomed-too much shade and too-acidic soil (going to have to try the chalk), and a mugo pine that I think Rachel might take. I'm also considering redoing my parking strip, which would mean moving three spirea that aren't the small-sized ones I requested when we bought the house.

Do you prune the Lilac? I have one that I planted in the wrong place, right under my kitchen garden window pop-out and have to keep pruning it down so it doesnt cover the window, has never bloomed. Tried to move it just made it worse, have all these sprouts going every where, so now it makes a nice hedge, so to speak.

Yeah, I just read that they sucker when they're not happy. Mine's suckering all over, too. I don't prune mine for height but I did thin out the middle of it to get more air through it. It has finally grown some but not a hint of a bloom and I'm getting tired of fussing over it.

How old is it? Not counting the one I told you about, I have 2 others, which have some sun. they are about 10' tall now and 10 years old, started blooming 2 years
ago. don't know if I heard right but I was told some take 5-7 years before they bloom, and one of mine only gets a little of afternoon sun, the other gets only morning sun.

Tills I have a huge rose similar to yours that I don't want it either. Sorry. I donate lots to the local garden clubs. Kingston is coming wednesday to take the rose and a huge clump of miscanthus. Garen clubs usually have spring plant sales and last year Hansville came and dug things out of my garden. Free laobor. My first garden I planted lilacs from my folks house. Very fragrant but ugly and a huge spreader and then I planted a huge row of raspberries at the back of this border. What a mistake. I think I have almost got rid of most. Gardening is a learning experience. At least the raspberries pull out easy. If the lilacs are in the right growing conditions with only a few blooms they really like to have all the flowers cut off once they start setting seed it takes alot of energy and can cut on the following years bloom. I tell people cut those blooms and bring bouquets in or bring them to a seinoir center but cut those flowers and enjoy. Heidi

Hi tils, I think mine's been in this spot for about 5 years. Maybe I'm just impatient.

I've heard of several people whose lilacs haven't performed. And then there are those on the deserted lots that bloom beautifully. Go figure.

Most lilacs I've seen (except for the smaller Korean variety) sucker. I didn't realize that it was an indication of whether they were happy or not. Hmmmm.

I have a few hedge roses that my sister-in-law planted 10+ years ago on her property. They fed them and put down huge amounts of chicken manure. The roses were green and beautiful, but didn't flower at all. I have them in a shady spot and they are just starting to flower. My only guess is that they need to be old. I'd like to move them again this year to a sunnier spot and see what happens . . .

Don't worry the Rose will find a new place on the property some where, I have to move it anyway, The trellis it was on collapsed during the first snow. cut it to the ground and start over. come to think of it the only times it blooms realy good is when I have done that. mmmmm maybe think on it again, have new idea leave it as a bush and wack it off in the fall?
Its funny about Roses, some like to be pampered and some just want to be left alone.
Lilacs I think just have to be old, I guess. I don't do nothing to mine.

Heidi, Here is a good article. I was thinking Rugosa for your area and that's mentioned in this article. Maybe something of interest for you.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2005/0501/plant.html

http://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/resources/resource_search.php?term=2267

Pixy thanks for the info. What a great picture of dans yard. What is he talking about at the flowers show? The other site looks great I'm on it today. Thanks

Dan will be talking about his new place, global influences and new plants. Should be great! I'll take notes.

My husband made the gate at their front driveway and I would need some tweeking and Robert would ask how much it would cost and Dave would say Heidi is the bill. So I would get to go and walk around. I went there last winter and it looked good then. I need to go back this summer and see how much things have grown.

Wow you are sooooo lucky to see it! What does the gate look like? Does your hubby build custom gates as a business?

The photos I've seed look just fabulous. What a nice property. Plenty of sunshine and what a view!

Heidi, you mean you're working on MY island??!! I just now found this thread.

Ohhh, Murmur - how delightfully possessive that sounds!