Chelsea inspired sand garden

Sand planting

Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens champion sustainable, eco-friendly garden design, with strong focus on biodiversity and water-wise planting.

Recent external projects include drought-resistant landscaping at Chattowood, a local housing development, and the Albert roundabout in Colchester. Both designs apply the principle of planting directly into sand to create resilient planting schemes that require no irrigation and minimal care.

Sand as a substrate

Rather than use a nutrient-rich topsoil, which invariably contains weed seeds and encourages weed growth, the plants are grown in approximately 30cm (12 inches) of locally sourced sand and gravel, called 6N/As Raised. As Raised sand has not been screened or washed so may contain sand, gravel and small stones, as well as small quantities of silt or clay.

Sand drains water immediately, protecting plants from root rot during wet winters – especially important for Mediterranean and alpine species.

Sand will naturally dry out and form a crust on the surface, making it more difficult for weeds to establish. Deeper down the mixture retains moisture, encouraging the plants to develop deep root systems. The result is plants that are more resilient to drought.

The plants

The plants have been chosen to thrive in these conditions and, although initial growth will be slower than if plants were planted in a richer soil, they will establish without the need for any feeding or constant watering.

Plant choice was based on the following criteria:

• drought resistance – suited to dry, low nutrient substrates
• low maintenance - no prolific self-seeders
• year-round structure - varied height, texture and form
• wildlife value – support pollinators and biodiversity