The seaside garden in winter takes on an altogether different shape as the wind carves its way through defences like a knife through butter .Only the toughest plants can survive the constant sand blasting and salt deposits experienced by the coastal gardener . Many people opt for the more deciduous type of garden allowing the garden to sleep during the fiercest of the weather . I however always leap to the challenge and have been exploring the best sort of plants to provide winter interest in the garden even in the most exposed areas .

Some stalwarts of the seaside garden well able to provide a beautiful winter landscape are plants like Fatsia japonica, Auccuba , Pinus mugo , Myrtus and Hebes .Forming an evergreen backdrop to the garden as well as berries in some cases .

Exploding in the borders like shards of glass catching light and creating movement are my dear Phormiums Cordylines and Astelias .Soft mounds of shimmering silver from Helichrysum serotinum and Santolina edge certain parts of my garden propping up the daffodils of late winter early spring . In the slightly more sheltered back garden the glowing red stems of Cornus against the golden lemon scented Cupressus macrocarpus catch the low winter light and radiate . whilst the evergreen back drop of Hedera helix "gold heart " makes the ornamental blackberry Rubus cockburnianus look like the pale and twisted fingers of Ebeneezer Scrooge lying in wait to snare you .

The scented flowers of Viburnum bodnantense and Mahonia waft into my home on the more settled days when I can open the odd window without fear of having the entire beach blown indoors, and Hellebores begin to flower with great gusto from as early as December telling me that spring is only around the corner

In more shaded parts the Japanese beauty Farfugium produces evergreen splashes of gold against verdant background in rounds of 3ft high foliage and is well able to take on the meanest salty gale without any trouble

The birds give the comic relief gorging on the berries of Cotoneaster horizontalis and Crateagus and in some cases give me a helping hand by removing the greenfly ,caterpillars and leafhopper, who , because of the mildness of the coastal garden, refuse to hibernate .

During the searing saline storms one can feel that coastal gardening is a thankless task but in fairer weather the winter seaside garden is a treasure trove of gleaming jewels basking in a warm winter sun that the inlander can only envy

Photo The Hellebores dance in the wind hailing the forthcoming spring

Photo Cheating topiary made fom two halves of hanging baskets filled with cuttings of the salt proof Euonymous macrophyllus make another shape for the winter garden

Photo Cordylines sway in the breeze against a winters blue sky making you feel your somewhere warmer

Photo Phormium "yellow wave " with the blue glass beaded pebble pond contrast beautifully in mid winter

Photo Cupressus and Cornus glow with winter colour

Photo Woven willow balls sit atop fence poles for added interest

Photo Grasses, object trouve, and willow arbours battle, out the winter

Photo Yucca americana shines like the star it is.