Designing a Low-Maintenance Coastal Garden With NZ Natives

Coastal gardens can look effortless, but behind the scenes, they require plants that can handle harsh conditions, poor soils, and relentless wind and sun. Choosing the right NZ native species allows you to create a stunning, sustainable, and low-maintenance coastal oasis.

This guide explores the best plants for low-maintenance coastal gardens, how to plant them, and how to design layered, wildlife-friendly landscapes that thrive year-round.

Why Coastal Gardens Need Low-Maintenance Natives

Coastal gardens are naturally harsh. Natives have evolved traits that let them survive with minimal intervention:

• Drought tolerance: Many coastal natives have deep roots or succulent leaves.

• Salt spray resistance: Thick, glossy, or hairy leaves protect foliage.

• Wind tolerance: Flexible stems reduce breakage and desiccation.

• Soil adaptability: Many tolerate sandy, rocky, or nutrient-poor soils.

• Ecosystem support: Native plants attract birds, bees, lizards, and beneficial insects.

Using these species reduces watering, fertilising, and pruning, while supporting biodiversity.

Top Low-Maintenance NZ Coastal Plants

Apodasmia similis (Oioi) — Architectural Coastal Hardy Reed

Oioi’s upright, reed-like form is perfect for coastal style gardens, providing structure and texture. It’s incredibly hardy and grows in both wet and dry conditions, making it versatile for dunes, bogs, and sandy slopes.

Plant features:

• Height: 1–2m, upright and clumping

• Extremely wind and salt-tolerant

• Low maintenance, evergreen

• Adds rhythm and vertical interest

Landscape tips:

• Plant in rows or clusters for visual impact

• Combine with Muehlenbeckia for layered ground coverage

• Use as a backdrop for smaller flowering natives

Olearia Haastii — Colour & Texture

This compact, silver-leaved shrub thrives in hot, dry coastal sites, reflecting sunlight to reduce heat stress. Yellow flowers in summer attract bees and other pollinators.

Plant features:

• Silver foliage adds visual contrast

• Height: 0.5–1.2m

• Tolerates sandy, rocky, and dry soils

• Flowers summer through autumn

Landscape tips:

• Ideal for borders and slope stabilization

• Pairs beautifully with Phormium or low native grasses

• Reflective leaves brighten harsh sun-exposed areas

Hebe fruiticetti — Rounded, Hardy, Flowering Shrub

Hebe elliptica’s compact form and purple-tinged flowers make it perfect for coastal hedges or garden edges. It requires minimal pruning and tolerates exposed sites.

Plant features:

• Height: 0.5–1m

• Evergreen, rounded habit

• Wind and salt tolerant

• Supports native bees and butterflies

Landscape tips:

• Plant mid-layer between groundcovers and taller shrubs

• Works well in groups for mass flower displays

• Low-maintenance alternative to exotic hedges

Coprosma acerosa (Sand Coprosma) — Groundcover & Erosion Control

Coprosma acerosa is a low, sprawling groundcover that binds sand, reduces erosion, and thrives in full sun and salty conditions. It’s perfect for dunes, banks, or rocky coastal slopes.

Plant features:

• Height: 0.2–0.5m, spreading habit

• Tolerates hot, dry, and sandy soils

• Supports lizards and small insects

• Evergreen, requiring minimal care

Landscape tips:

• Plant densely for erosion control

• Combine with Muehlenbeckia complexa or Acaena inermis

• Ideal for wildlife-friendly coastal gardens

Phormium cookianum (Mountain Flax) — Sculptural Backbone Plant

Phormium adds structure, movement, and texture to coastal gardens. Its flowers attract native birds, and its arching leaves provide contrast to smaller shrubs and groundcovers.

Plant features:

• Height: 1–1.5m clumps

• Extremely wind, drought, and salt-tolerant

• Nectar-rich flowers attract birds

• Minimal maintenance

Landscape tips:

• Plant in clumps or groups for dramatic effect

• Pair with silver-foliaged shrubs for contrast

• Combine with low-growing groundcovers for layered look

Design Strategies for Low-Maintenance Coastal Gardens

1. Layering Plants:

   • Groundcovers: Coprosma acerosa, Muehlenbeckia complexa

   • Mid-level shrubs: Hebe elliptica, Brachyglottis greyi

   • Structural plants: Phormium cookianum, Oioi

2. Textural Contrast:

   • Silver, grey, and glossy green foliage

   • Long arching leaves (Phormium) with fine grasses or reeds

   • Sprawling groundcovers for soft edges

3. Soil & Mulch:

   • Sandy or gravelly mulch retains moisture and prevents weed growth

   • Avoid high-nutrient fertilisers; most coastal natives prefer low-nutrient soils

4. Wildlife Support:

   • Plant nectar-rich flowers for birds and bees

   • Use berry-producing species for winter food sources

   • Groundcovers provide lizard and insect habitats

5. Watering & Maintenance:

   • Minimal watering after establishment

   • Prune mid-level shrubs lightly each spring

   • Replace dead or struggling plants with other hardy natives

Seasonal & Propagation Tips

• Propagation: Many of these plants can be grown from cuttings, divisions, or seed, allowing gardeners to expand their coastal garden sustainably.

• Seasonal Care: Coastal plants are hardy but young plants benefit from protection during establishment (first 6–12 months). Mulch to prevent moisture loss.

• Flowering & Wildlife: Plan for staggered flowering by combining different species for year-round pollinator support.