| I would like to plant a colorful shrub around the border of my front lawn, which faces west. My problem is the wind! Most of the time it is windy across the area I would like to plant --- and sometimes it is quite gusty. The wind usually comes from the north west, and I live about one mile from the ocean. What would you suggest that I could plant that would not be destroyed by the wind? Nothing poisonous --- I have dogs. |
| Finding just the right plants for windy areas can be a real challenge. Wind causes water stress in plants by increasing evaporation through the leaves. If leaves are tender, they can be shredded by wind, leaving a tattered mess instead of a nice, neat appearance. Shrubs that bloom and still stand up to strong winds include Bottlebrush (Callistemon), Ceanothus (Wild Lilac), Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis), and Leptospermum (Tea Tree). |
