This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.

Landscaping can be a formidable task along Delaware’s shore, where salt spray, wind, heat and sandy soils are prevalent. Coastal areas provide an excellent opportunity to use native plants in perennial gardens. Native plantings are attractive alternatives to traditional nursery stock because they require little maintenance and are specifically adapted to heat, drought and soil stresses common to coastal areas. They also provide important feeding, nesting and resting habitat for many birds and animals and can add color and texture to your garden, creating a compatible extension of the natural ecosystem. For more information about native plants for Delaware’s coastal areas, visit ocean.udel.edu/nativeplantgarden. Or call (302) 645-4346. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.