A colorful border only one block in from the Pacific Ocean on Breakers Blvd. in Neskowin, OR. We did import some topsoil and this garden also has drip irrigation. Plants featured include: Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, Mexican Feather Grass (Nasella tenuissima), Gaura ‘Whirling Butterflies’, Salvia ‘Cardadonna’, Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’, Halimium species, Lobelia tupa, Purple Smoketree ‘Grace’, Alyssum (from seed), Cardoon, Achillea ‘Moonshine’.
Kinnickinnick - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi It's native so why not? True, but if you plant it in an area that get composted, watered or mulched it gets easily diseased. Often it will come out of winter with mostly brown foliage that must be pruned off. However if you have dry, sandy, full sun location it's an excellent choice.
Evergreen Huckleberry - Vaccinium ovatum One of my very favorite plants. Native, evergreen, and edible, requires very little maintenance after establishment.
Shorepine - Pinus contorta var. contorta Our native shorepine does best when planted in Nov-Jan and not watered in summer.
Pacific Wax Myrtle - Myrica californica My go-to plant for a screening hedge. Evergreen, native, drought tolerant.
Escallonia var.'s Try 'Red Elf' or 'Compacta' for dwarfer versions of it's very large parent.
Grevilleas 'Marshall Olbricht', 'Canberra Gem', & others These beauties prefer poor soil or sandy as they are adverse to phosphorous. A hot site with protection from wind for the larger varieties is best. Be sure to choose a hardy variety as many are not. Excellent hummingbird nectar source in early winter.
Grevillea ‘Canberra Gem’, Tulip ‘Peppermint Stick, amidst fern-like silver foliage of Achillea ‘Moonshine’
Guitar Plant Lomatia tinctoria Another unique addition from the Protea family that abhors phosphorous and so keep compost and fertilizer away. Thrives in sand. Native to Tasmania.
Leptospernum 'Squiggly'
Brachyglottis 'Crispa'
Sedum 'Cape Blanco' & others
Manzanita
Madrone
Ceanothus varieties
Coyote Bush - Baccharis pilularis
Seawatch - Angelica lucida
Halimiums and Cistus
Salvias
Rosemary & Lavender
Thyme groundcovers - Thymus pseudolanginosus and others
Penstemons
Beach Lupine Collect from seed in mid-summer. Be sure to wait until the pods are dried, brown, and beginning to open on their own. Spread in the area you hope to sow and keep your eye open for seedlings which may not germinate until fall or following spring