Martha’s Vineyard offers a unique blend of coastal beauty and rural charm, making landscape design on the island both rewarding and challenging. The region’s coastal climate, with its salty air, winds, and occasional harsh winters, requires careful plant selection to ensure that landscapes thrive. When planning your Martha’s Vineyard garden, choosing trees and shrubs that are well-suited to the environment is key to creating a resilient and beautiful landscape. We at Fragosa Landscapes would like to share some of the best options that will not only enhance the aesthetic of your outdoor space but also withstand the island’s natural conditions.

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

American Holly is a native evergreen tree that thrives in the coastal environment of Martha’s Vineyard. Known for its glossy, dark green leaves and bright red berries, this tree adds color and texture to the landscape year-round. Its dense foliage makes it an excellent choice for privacy screening or as a specimen tree in the garden. Additionally, the berries attract birds, making it a great option for those who enjoy wildlife in their outdoor spaces.

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Eastern Red Cedar is another native species that is well-adapted to the island’s salty air and poor soil conditions. This hardy evergreen provides year-round coverage and can serve as a windbreak or privacy screen. Its blue-green foliage and small berries, which attract birds, make it a functional and decorative addition to any landscape. The Eastern Red Cedar also tolerates drought well, making it ideal for more exposed areas of Martha’s Vineyard.

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

For a shrub that brings vibrant seasonal interest, the Oakleaf Hydrangea is an excellent choice. This deciduous shrub is known for its large, cone-shaped clusters of white flowers that bloom in the summer, transitioning to pink and eventually to a rich brown as fall approaches. The foliage also turns a striking red or purple in autumn, adding to the plant’s appeal. Oakleaf Hydrangeas are relatively easy to maintain and thrive in both sun and partial shade, making them versatile for different garden settings on Martha’s Vineyard.

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

As a native coastal plant, the Beach Plum is perfectly suited to Martha’s Vineyard’s seaside landscapes. This small, deciduous shrub features fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by small, edible plums in late summer. The Beach Plum is drought-tolerant and can thrive in sandy soils, making it an ideal choice for coastal gardens. It can be used as part of a naturalistic landscape design, or in areas where the soil may be too poor for other plants to thrive.

Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)

Northern Bayberry is a hardy, salt-tolerant shrub that fits beautifully into Martha’s Vineyard’s coastal environment. This semi-evergreen shrub features aromatic foliage and small grayish-white berries, which are often used to make traditional bayberry candles. Northern Bayberry is low-maintenance and drought-resistant, making it perfect for more rugged areas of the island where other shrubs may struggle. It can be used as a ground cover, in hedgerows, or to create natural borders.

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Sweetbay Magnolia is a stunning tree that provides fragrance and elegance to Martha’s Vineyard landscapes. Its creamy white flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, filling the air with a delightful lemony scent. Unlike some other magnolia varieties, Sweetbay Magnolia is tolerant of wet soils, making it suitable for areas prone to moisture or near bodies of water. Its graceful appearance and adaptability make it a popular choice for both formal and informal garden designs.

Landscape Design, Construction & More in Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Haven & West Tisbury, Massachusetts

Selecting the right trees and shrubs for your Martha’s Vineyard landscape requires thoughtful consideration of the island’s coastal climate and conditions. By choosing native or well-adapted species like American Holly, Eastern Red Cedar, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Beach Plum, Northern Bayberry, and Sweetbay Magnolia, you can create a resilient, low-maintenance, and stunning landscape that will thrive in Martha’s Vineyard’s unique environment. Whether you’re looking to enhance privacy, attract wildlife, or simply beautify your outdoor space, these trees and shrubs offer a perfect blend of form and function. Call Fragosa Landscapes when you need to design and install landscaping on your Martha’s Vineyard property.