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Quick Answer
The best plants for windy Chiltern hills gardens: hawthorn, blackthorn, escallonia, sea buckthorn, lavender, rosemary, stipa grasses, and yew. Windy gardens on the Chiltern hills (Ibstone, Stokenchurch, Wendover) need tough, wind-tolerant plants. Avoid tall plants with large leaves, which get damaged. Plant windbreaks first, then plant behind them.
Why Windy Gardens Are Challenging
The Chiltern hills are exposed to strong winds, particularly on the higher ground around Stokenchurch, Ibstone, Wendover, and Princes Risborough. Wind damages plants in several ways: it tears leaves, dries out the soil, breaks stems, and stunts growth. A windy garden needs different plants from a sheltered garden.
The trick is to plant a windbreak first (a hedge or row of tough shrubs across the prevailing wind), then plant behind it. The windbreak reduces wind speed by 50 percent for a distance of 10 times its height. This guide lists the best plants for windy Chiltern hills gardens.
Windbreak Plants for Chiltern Hills
Plant a windbreak hedge across the prevailing wind (usually south-west in the Chilterns). Use tough, wind-tolerant plants:
- Hawthorn, native, wind-tolerant, wildlife-friendly
- Blackthorn, native, dense, thorny
- Escallonia, evergreen, flowering, wind-tolerant
- Sea buckthorn, silvery leaves, orange berries
- Privet, semi-evergreen, fast-growing
- Leylandii, fast-growing evergreen (but needs regular cutting)
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Best Shrubs for Windy Gardens
Behind the windbreak, plant tough, wind-tolerant shrubs:
- Photinia, tough, evergreen, red new growth
- Choisya, tough, evergreen, scented
- Pittosporum, evergreen, wind-tolerant
- Escallonia, evergreen, flowering
- Berberis, thorny, colourful foliage
- Pyracantha, thorny, berries
Best Perennials for Windy Gardens
Choose perennials with strong stems and small leaves:
- Lavender, drought and wind tolerant
- Rosemary, evergreen, wind-tolerant
- Verbena bonariensis, tall but very wind-tolerant
- Eryngium, spiky, wind-tolerant
- Sedum, low, wind-tolerant
- Nepeta, low, wind-tolerant
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Best Grasses for Windy Gardens
Ornamental grasses love wind and move beautifully in it:
- Stipa tenuissima, soft, flowing, loves wind
- Miscanthus, tall, strong stems
- Calamagrostis, upright, wind-tolerant
- Hakonechloa, low, flowing
Best Trees for Windy Gardens
Choose trees with small leaves and flexible stems:
- Rowan, wind-tolerant, berries
- Birch, flexible, wind-tolerant
- Hawthorn, native, wind-tolerant
- Pine, wind-tolerant conifer
- Holly, evergreen, wind-tolerant
Plants to Avoid in Windy Gardens
- Tall plants with large leaves: gunnera, Rodgersia, hostas (leaves get shredded)
- Top-heavy plants: sunflowers, delphiniums (stems break)
- Shallow-rooted plants: young trees (get blown over)
- Tender plants: bananas, tree ferns (wind damages foliage)
How to Design a Windy Garden
- Plant a windbreak across the prevailing wind (usually south-west)
- Plant tough shrubs behind the windbreak
- Choose wind-tolerant perennials with small leaves and strong stems
- Plant in drifts to create a cohesive look
- Use grasses for movement and structure
- Avoid large-leaved plants that get damaged by wind
Cost of Planting a Windy Garden
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Windbreak hedge (10m) | 200-400 pounds |
| Shrubs (10) | 300-600 pounds |
| Perennials (20) | 200-400 pounds |
| Grasses (10) | 100-250 pounds |
| Total | 800-1,650 pounds |
Common Mistakes
- Not planting a windbreak first. Without a windbreak, most plants will struggle in a windy garden.
- Planting large-leaved plants. Large leaves get shredded by wind. Choose small-leaved plants.
- Planting tall, top-heavy plants. They get blown over. Choose low, sturdy plants.
- Not staking young trees. Young trees in windy sites need staking for the first 2 to 3 years.
- Not watering enough. Wind dries out the soil faster than sun. Water regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best windbreak for a Chiltern hills garden?
A mixed native hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, and holly. It is wind-tolerant, wildlife-friendly, and looks natural in the Chiltern landscape.
Will lavender grow in a windy garden?
Yes, lavender is excellent for windy gardens. It has small leaves, strong stems, and is drought-tolerant.
How do I protect young trees from wind?
Stake them for the first 2 to 3 years, using a single stake at 45 degrees. Remove the stake after 3 years to let the tree develop its own strength.
Get Help Planting a Windy Garden
If you have a windy garden in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire or Bedfordshire and want help with planting, send us a WhatsApp with photos and we will aim to respond within 12 to 36 hours, Monday to Sunday.
Further Reading
In mature and established gardens, always assess the existing ecosystem before making changes. Small adjustments to timing and technique can preserve decades of growth and wildlife value.
Relevant local areas
This advice is particularly relevant to gardens in these areas.
Put this advice into practice
Use the relevant CGM tool or follow a related guide, then send us a few photos if you would like a tailored plan.
Sources and citations
This article draws on the following sources. Specific claims are cited inline where relevant.
- CGM field records (2024-09. Site observations from gardens across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire.
- Royal Horticultural Society (2024). RHS Gardening Advice and Plant Finder. Available at rhs.org.uk.
- Met Office (2024). Regional climate averages, South East England. Available at metoffice.gov.uk.
- British Geological Survey (2024). Soil parent material data for the Chilterns and Thames Valley. Available at bgs.ac.uk.