Rita Elliott

Seashore gardens need a fair amount of attention.- photos by Rita Elliott

A few years back, friends of mine bought a lovely cottage by the sea. Their garden consisted of sand, and sand only.

Yet, in just a few years, they managed to amend (improve) the soil so much that they now have a yard in full bloom, all year.

Here is how they went about it:

Several weeks before planting time, they tilled a 15-centimetre layer of compost into the soil (the sand, really) which greatly improved its fertility.

The couple also built two raised beds and filled them with a combination of purchased topsoil and 'home-made' compost.

They mulched plants with organic matter, such as shredded bark, grass clippings, compost, or straw.

Each year, my friends continued to add lots of organic matter, which not only improves the soil's fertility and drainage, but also increases its ability to retain moisture and nutrients.

Organic matter also provides food for earthworms and micro-organisms.

There is no way around it: if you want a pleasant seashore garden, you have got to be tenacious!