Design Principles and Considerations for Shoreline Landscaping

Choosing to live along the shore is an excellent opportunity for families and individuals to explore the outdoors or simply unwind. While it feels like a dream to be one with nature and have your spot near the water for a swim or afternoon fishing, it also comes with a duty to safeguard the land, water and other creatures that consider it home.

This area may already include regions of aquatic, coastline, lowland transition and upland buffers — each with its distinctive plant communities. These work together to filter and reduce water flow from spring and autumn rains, summer irrigation and winter snowmelt, preserving the water body’s quality. So if you plan to have or already have a lake, pond, or riverfront property, ensure to give it an earth-friendly boost through shoreline protection and landscaping.

Here are friendly tips and tricks from your local landscape design expert.

Steps in Shoreland Designing

1. Study the design principles for shoreland protection.
2. Explore and familiarize yourself with the site.
3. Create your checklist and budget.
4. Make a base plan while analyzing your area with the help of professionals.
5. List down your needs and specifications for the project before conceptualizing.
6. Systematize your strategies.

Design Principles for Shoreland Protection

• Experts say that the foundation of a suitable landscape is healthy soil. To avoid compaction and erosion, amend deteriorated soil with organic matter and cover it with plants or mulches.

• Reduce the force and slow the flow of water by using plants. Layers of leaves decrease the power of rainfall throughout the growing season, breaking droplets into smaller units until they soak into the ground. According to landscape professionals, plants with dense layers gather and hold water, slowly releasing it through transpiration and evaporation and eventually conserving the soil.

• Utilize plants that are well-suited to the soil in your site. It is essential to put native greens in the landscape to resist pests and diseases better. You can also choose those that reduce the energy from waves created by wind and boats. More importantly, select those that absorb nutrient runoff and provide critical habitats for fish and wildlife.

• Consider rethinking the size of your lawn. It is advised to use ground covers and layers of vegetation instead of putting grass to encourage wildlife diversity. You can also maintain the areas flat to retain water and minimize the need for irrigation.

• Make the most of the vegetative buffer along shorelines. A diverse, lush, layered planting will hold and stabilize the grounds with thick mats of roots that penetrate the soil at different depths. One pro-tip you might want to consider is combining your buffer with a neighbor’s buffer whenever possible.

• For your outdoor living space, create a low-maintenance landscape. Although any landscape will require regular upkeep, your creative choices will significantly impact the amount of time you’ll need to maintain your property. 

• No matter how far it is from the shoreline, whatever you put on your land might end up in the water. This may include vehicle washing detergent, treatment chemicals, gas and oil leaks, and seasoning items like rock salt. Reduce the potential for adverse impact on the water by reducing the use of or ensuring the proper disposal of potentially hazardous substances.

Other Considerations

• Prioritize water quality. While this can be overlooked, keep in mind that this factor is critical. Many lake organizations urge property owners to build a shoreline buffer zone between their house, grass and the water’s edge. This is because rainwater running off grass or road can directly influence the lake’s water quality. Pollutants can be filtered out, and excess rainwater can be absorbed by a buffer zone consisting of the correct plants. Plants can also act as a living floodplain beside a stream or river, collecting excess water after heavy rain or snow melts and reducing erosion.

• Focus on the scenery. Ensure the landscaping does not obstruct the view of the waters. You may use shorter plants in front of your primary view and higher plants to the sides. Also, choose colors and textures that blend in with the natural ambiance. Remember that it’s always encouraged to call for a team with expertise in outdoor living projects like this.

• Consider using shoreline containers. If you have a rocky shoreline, it’s almost impossible to plant anything. Here’s what you can do, though. Fill half of a wine barrel with a soil mix with fertilizer. For better water retention, you should include moisture-holding crystals in the mixture. Then, you can choose plants with built-in drought tolerance, such as Elijah Blue and dusty miller.

• Take care of your shoreline lawn grass. If you’re close to the water, a perfect lawn should not pollute. That is why landscaping companies suggest weeding your lawn by hand. To keep the weeds from sprouting, you can easily apply natural corn gluten during spring.

Practices to Avoid

• Building concrete break-walls to prevent coastal erosion. This is frequently done after the coastline has been interfered with. But according to landscape design companies, concrete hardens a coastline, making it sterile. This practice prohibits plants and animals from growing there. They also deteriorate with time and must be fixed or replaced.

• Clearing trees, plants and bushes along the coastline. Doing this may give you a better view of the shoreline from your home, deck or patio. However, when natural beach vegetation is removed, toxins are allowed to flow straight into the lake.

• Dumping truckloads of sand down the seashore. This is typically done to construct a beach. It is not recommended as it will obliterate the littoral zone.

Let’s Transform Your Outdoor Living Space!

For superior landscape design, hire Backyard Reflections! We’re a full-service residential landscape design/build team serving the local community for over two decades.

We pride ourselves on having a winning team that can deliver exceptional workmanship. Our business is guided by quality craftsmanship and proven processes for a superior customer experience. We use 3D technology to create a personalized design concept, so you can easily visualize your outdoor space before we even start construction.

Call us at (320) 274-6336 (Annandale) or (218) 454-1065 (Nisswa). You can also fill out our online form to request an estimate.