For a relaxed, low-maintenance garden on the Canterbury coast, you want to be thinking stone, wood, seaside natives and colourful exotic plants. Paul Roper-Gee from Canopy Landscape Architects explains.

It’s easy to forget that Christchurch is a city that hugs the coastline. For those of us living on the flat in the central or western parts of the city, our collective relationship to the coast only becomes evident as you approach the shoreline. The littoral suburbs including New Brighton, Redcliffs, Sumner and Lyttelton have unique microclimates and soils that offer distinct opportunities and challenges when it comes to designing a garden.

Moody seascapes provide a natural focal point or backdrop to your coastal garden. Spaces and views can be created within the garden to celebrate and make the most of this natural beauty.

At Canopy we like to think gardens near the coast are relaxed, informal spaces, designed with low maintenance in mind. Time spent in your coastal garden is for sitting back and enjoying nature, entertaining family and friends around the BBQ, or for a cup of tea and a book on the outdoor sofa.

To achieve a laid-back coastal garden space, some planning is required because of the salt-laden winds and nutrient-poor soils. Rather than battling these conditions, it’s better to work with them, selecting plants and materials that are naturally suited to this environment.

You can draw inspiration from the native plant communities that naturally grow on the rocky coastline and dune systems. Coastal gardens have a reduced risk of frost, which opens up a palette of exotic succulents with their bold forms and an extra punch of colour. A combination of both native and exotic planting can create an exciting display.

Natural materials lend themselves well to a coastal garden. Weathered timber and stone together with gravels and shell mulch create a subtle and unpretentious look. Found objects like driftwood and rusted steel can bring out the rugged character of the coast in your garden.

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