What Grows Well in Windy, Salty or Exposed PEI Gardens?

An exposed PEI garden needs plants that tolerate both wind and salt, and a windbreak gives them sheltered ground to establish in. On the Island's most exposed ground, the sand dunes, the province's State of the Coast report names marram grass, bayberry and white spruce among the plants that keep the sand in place.

Which Plants Can Handle Wind and Salt in PEI?

The Government of Prince Edward Island's Search Trees and Shrubs tool is the quickest way to narrow the field. Under its "Special Conditions" heading it has one filter for plants that tolerate windy conditions and another for salt, and both can be combined with the tool's "Native Shrubs" type.

The province's hedgerow fact sheet for farm fields adds a table of native trees and shrubs used in PEI hedgerows. Bayberry, wild rose and red-osier dogwood appear there alongside serviceberry, red oak and native spruces, and the table is a sensible place to start for a shelter planting.

Is Sea Spray Different From Road Salt?

A property can take salt from the sea, from a salted road or from both, and the damage shows up in different places. Environment and Climate Change Canada notes that road salt harms roadside plants through splash and also moves through soil and groundwater, so beds along a driveway or a plowed road can struggle well away from the coast.

The provincial search tool's salt filter does not say which kind of salt it refers to. A plant flagged as salt tolerant is a good starting point, but a bed hit by both sea spray and road splash needs a closer look before planting.

How Far Does a Windbreak Shelter the Ground Behind It?

A windbreak can reduce wind speed for up to 10 times its height, with the best shelter between 2 and 4 times its height, according to a PEI Department of Agriculture fact sheet on hedgerows. A row of trees 5 metres tall would give its strongest protection roughly 10 to 20 metres downwind.

The same fact sheet recommends a windbreak that lets some wind through, at about 40 to 60 percent density. A solid wall slows the wind more sharply but shelters a shorter distance. It also advises planting across the strongest winds, making the row at least 10 times as long as the trees are tall and mixing deciduous trees with conifers, because high winds arrive in every season.

Snow drifts build up on the sheltered side of a windbreak, so the fact sheet suggests keeping a hedgerow at least 30 metres from buildings.

Can a Provincial Program Help Plant a Windbreak?

Larger properties may qualify for the province's hedgerow planting program, which plants trees or shrubs to protect soil from wind and rain erosion and to shelter buildings and livestock. The property needs at least 1 hectare (2.5 acres) and room for at least 300 seedlings.

The department supplies and plants the seedlings at $1 each plus tax, recommends double-row hedgerows and asks the landowner to look after the planting for 15 years. Applications take three to four weeks to process.

Can Red Earth Plan a Planting for an Exposed Site?

Red Earth Restoration's work includes native landscaping and coastal planting across PEI. Describing which direction the wind and salt come from, and sending photos of the area, helps Brandon and Becky understand an exposed site before suggesting a next step.

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