Shoreline Landscaping Ideas – If you are a waterside residence, one of the things you have to deal with is the shoreline. Particularly about how to landscape it to not only protect it but also make it more beautiful.
Need inspiration? Check out these 7 shoreline landscaping ideas.
1. Make a Rain Garden
One of the best ways to buffer a shoreline is by making a rain garden. A rain garden is not unlike a typical flower garden. What makes the two types of garden different is their positioning.
That is, a rain garden is positioned in a way that the plants can catch the water runoff before it can reach the shoreline.
A rain garden is easy to make. Just create a shallow bed, then plant water-loving plants. Then, let the garden percolate into the surrounding soil slowly.
2. Plant Flowers and Grasses
Perhaps you want a more natural shoreline landscaping? In that case, you can try planting flowers and grasses. Flowers and grasses work well together to create a buffer for the shoreline.
Not only that, but they also add interesting visual cues to the shoreline and may even create a habitat for songbirds and pollinators, too.
For the best result, plant plants that are native to the area then match the plants with the shoreline conditions.
For instance, for the area closer to the water, plant water-loving plants. For the sandy or rocky area, drought-tolerant plant plants.
3. Shoreline Landscaping Ideas: Create Shoreline Hardscaping
If plants are not a viable option, you can try hardscaping. Instead of using concrete, use stone or gravel. For the deck, you can use wooden planks.
If you are planning to have a patio nearby, spread gravel or sand underneath it so it can catch dripping water.
4. Use Boulder-Gravel Combination
If you want to hardscape the shoreline but want a more natural look, try combining boulder and gravel. This works just like the previous hardscaping. The difference is that it looks more natural, which makes it more appealing.
5. Turn It into a Lawn Grass
Yes, you can create a lawn of grass on the shoreline, too. However, a lawn on the shoreline won’t be like a typical lawn in the front or back yard.
Since your residence is located near water, you don’t want to use anything that will pollute it. That means no chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
6. Try Shoreline Containers
Not all shoreline soil is good for plants. Some shorelines have poor soil. Does that mean you can’t plant any plants to protect and make the shoreline more beautiful?
Of course not. Here’s a suggestion: Plant your plants in containers. To make things easier, plant drought-tolerant plants and use moisture-holding crystals in the soil mix. This way, you won’t have to water the plants constantly.
7. Shoreline Mulching
If the soil is poor, but you still want to plant plants in it, you can try mulching. Mulching prepares the shoreline soil for the plants. Plus, it creates an interesting aesthetic for the time being.
These shoreline landscaping ideas can help protect the shoreline as well as make it more beautiful. So, what do you think? Which one of the ideas above would you like to try?