Your garden has the potential to be your own personal oasis, offering sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of modern life in the Northern Beaches. However, cultivating a paradise such as this relies heavily on the choices you make in your garden’s overall design. This is especially difficult when facing coastal conditions like those found in the Northern Beaches, as they hold unique challenges for ensuring a garden that flourishes throughout the seasons.
Sandy soil, harsh sun, onshore winds, and salty, humid air can wreak havoc on your garden if you’re not careful. That’s why you need to be strategic in the elements that you choose to include in your overall design. Let’s take a closer look!
Soil Quality
Soil quality is a huge immune booster for plants which makes them more resilient. Being coastal, there is a good chance that your soil is more alkaline. Your sandy, alkaline soil will be turbo boosted the more you mix in organic matter and wetter additives. This develops the soil structure and helps it hold water for longer, meaning less stress on its roots. That’ yummy’ organic matter must be mixed into the soil and not chucked across the top. If you layer it across the top, you will encourage a happy colony of weeds.
Rather, layer mulch across the top of your soil once a year, as this prevents it from becoming scorched, evaporating moisture, and losing topsoil to the wind. It also helps develop good bacteria which is an essential part of healthy soil (and healthy plants). Mulch can be made from bark chips, almond shells, or even stone fruit pips. You can mix this up with pebbles to accentuate your overall garden design and style.
Wind Protection
Your plants will greatly appreciate protection from the wind – even a tough tomato plant or a succulent needs wind protection. In coastal areas like the Northern Beaches, wind protection also means salt protection. Strategically positioned trees, shrubs, trellises, fences, panels, screens, sculptures, and rockeries can create wonderful windbreaks while simultaneously adding to your garden’s design through gorgeous visual textures and interest.
Pro tip: Try to use windbreaks to guide the wind rather than blocking it, or it might blow your attempts flat!
Your Pick Of Plants
Ask your local nursery for plants that are native to the Northern Beaches or other coastal regions, as they have evolved to thrive in your local, coastal conditions. Native plants are not only absolute pros at handling your area’s local micro-climate, but they very kindly provide both food and shelter for your local feathered friends and other wildlife. Plants that attract bees are also a great idea to breathe life into your garden’s design.
As you can see, crafting a strategic and stunning garden design can be difficult for the inexperienced in the Northern Beaches. That’s where Sydney Garden Maintenance & Landscaping comes in! Whether you need full landscape design services or simple advice, we’ve got the expertise you need.
Contact us today to develop a garden design on Northern Beaches that expresses your personal style and thrives in coastal conditions!