As more and more of the nation's population moves to waterfront property, and as coastal construction surges, legions of business and residential owners have discovered the challenges of coastal gardening. Plants that might thrive inland often decline and eventually die. Though salinity is the most common and most hostile environmental stress, gardeners also battle poor soil, drought and downpours, high winds, humidity, and heat, not to mention occasionally freezing temperatures.

Robert J. Black and Edward F. Gilman tell gardeners how to conquer these hurdles and establish aesthetic and functional plants that can adapt to a coastal site. Beginning with basic gardening precepts, they present step-by-step information on specific plants, planting, best landscape uses, cultural needs, and plant maintenance. They address watering, fertilization, pruning, and other care concerns of salt tolerant plants.

This guidebook will be indispensable for all southern coastal homeowners, landscape architects, landscape designers and installers, landscape maintenance personnel, retail nursery personnel, extension agents, and for inland gardeners who face problems that result from salt water intrusion. Compact and handy, it will help them plan, plant, and maintain a beautiful seaside landscape.