SEASIDE PLANTING 105 



most useful of evergreens for exposed places. In the milder counties all 

 the New Zealand Veronicas should be tried, or as many as are available ; 

 some of them thrive in places drenched by spray. The common gorse and 

 its double-flowered variety are valuable. The less known Ulex Gallii 

 may be seen at Bournemouth hanging on shelves on the cliffs fully exposed, 

 but it will not stand so much frost as the common U. europceus. A 

 companion plant with it there is Erica cinerea, the two making, when in 

 flower in the early autumn, a lovely contrast in gold and purple. Ulex 

 nanus will no doubt succeed as well as the other two gorses. 



Turning to deciduous shrubs, none is better than Tamarix tetrandra, 

 T. gallica^ and probably T. pentandra. On the south coast the first two 

 thrive on the most exposed cliffs. T. anglica^ closely allied to T. gallica, 

 is common in places on the Suffolk coast. I have not seen T. pentandra 

 grown near the sea (it is comparatively new to gardens) but mention 

 it as a likely shrub valuable in flowering later than the others and during 

 the " season " of most seaside towns. Succeeding equally well in similar 

 places is the box-thorn, Lycium chinense (the shrub nearly always alluded 

 to as " L. barbarum " or " Z. europtzum "). Myricaria germanica, also 

 useful, is a close ally of the tamarisks. The common elder (Sambucus 

 nigra) and its varieties are apt to look battered, but, like the sycamore, 

 they are irrepressible, and therefore valuable in the first line of defence. 

 Hippophae rhamnoides is essentially a maritime shrub, and as a fruit- 

 bearing one is the handsomest of those here mentioned. The goat 

 willow (Salix Capred] will grow on fully exposed cliffs, as, no 

 doubt, will many other willows. The common hawthorn is one 

 of the hardiest of all trees, and although not reaching beyond 

 the dimensions of a shrub in places like those under discussion, 

 is worth planting. A more beautiful one is the Scotch Laburnum 

 (L. alpinuni), hardier than, and to be preferred before, the common one. 

 The oval-leaved privet is partially deciduous, but valuable as thriving in 

 the most exposed places. Among wild roses, R. canina (the dog rose), 

 R. rubiginosa (sweet-briar), R. spinosissima (Scotch rose), R. multtflora 

 and R. hibernica may be recommended, as may also the Wichuraiana roses, 

 common dogwood (Cornus sanguined), the blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), 

 Cotoneaster bacillaris, Celastrns articulatus, and Baccharis halimifolia. 



To all these, others, no doubt of equal value, might be added; 

 certainly there might for the south-western counties, as, for example, 

 Escallonia macrantha, E. rubra, etc ; but sufficient have been named to 

 enable effective plantings to be made. As has already been emphasised, 

 it is trees and shrubs that will themselves bear the full brunt of the 

 storm and, if need be, afford protection for others, that are wanted. 

 Given those, the chief problem has been solved. 



