Creating a Driftwood Dune
"Damn!" thinks the gardener, looking at the Matterhorn or the Dolomites; "if only I had this mountain in my garden; and this bit of forest with it's enormous trees, and this clearing, and the stream here, or perhaps this lake; that luxuriant meadow would also look nice in my garden, or a strip of seashore and a ruin of a gothic cloister would be splendid. And I should like to have that ancient fig tree there, and that antique fountain, and how about a herd of stags, or some chamois, or at least this avenue of old poplars."
There's nothing wrong with a fantasy or two, particularly where gardens are concerned. In this article I hope to answer your questions regarding creating a strip of seashore grasses amongst driftwood.
The way it is in nature
Dunes are formed when waves moves sand and other debris up above the high tide line. On stormy nights, large quantities of wood can be moved and tossed ashore. Once the debris is stable, plant life begins to take hold and first are usually grasses. Then come small shrubs and perennials, depending on the beach in question. Around here, dune grasses take root, followed by a lovely grey-green plant called Ambrosia, followed by Geums followed by Red-twigged Dogwood and wild roses. Tree lupins sprout up on sandy soils. What grows on your local beach might be totally different.
To simulate this
You will need to start with a mound or a slope to simulate the dune, or pile-up of debris. Collect driftwood that is fully bleached, preferably in summer (it will be lighter and dry). Set the wood up as it appeared on the beach. If you go for unnatural arrangements it will scream out at you, so move it around until it looks natural.
Start at the bottom of the slope or mound. Backfill with pebbly sand and soil, and plant at random where there are spaces between the logs.
Mass-plant. Don't have one of everything in a planting like this. If you want to simulate something in nature you must choose a few plants and repeat them, as they repeat themselves in nature.
Plants Suited to Dune Planting
Blue Lyme Grass Elymus arenarius - This will grow in any soil in full sun. It suits the dune-planting because it is a lovely blue-grey, is a spreader (especially in tilled or light soil) and is very hardy and drought tolerant.
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