After a coastal storm, a garden can look suddenly unfamiliar. Leaves that were green a few days earlier turn brown, while a sheltered plant nearby seems almost untouched.
That contrast is useful. Before treating the whole garden, look at where the damage appeared and what the plants experienced.
Start with the exposed side
Wind can dry and tear foliage, while airborne salt can contribute to scorch. Damage concentrated on the exposed face of several plants suggests an environmental event worth investigating. It does not, by itself, identify a single cause.
Photograph the whole plant as well as the damaged leaves. Compare exposed and sheltered areas, and note whether the same change appeared across different species after the storm.
Separate leaf exposure from flooding
A plant coated by wind-driven spray has had a different experience from one standing in saltwater. Ask whether water reached the bed, how long it stayed and whether the soil remains saturated.
UF/IFAS Pinellas guidance recommends fresh-water rinsing and root-zone flushing after salt or brackish flooding once the water recedes. Where drainage remains poor, seek site-specific advice before adding more water. Brown foliage does not automatically mean dry roots.
Give diagnosis time and evidence
Do not strip every damaged leaf simply to make the plant look tidy. Preserve useful foliage and let the plant's condition guide pruning. Broken branches, unstable trees and damaged utilities need appropriate professional attention before garden work begins.
If spotting or decline continues, document the changes and ask for diagnosis. A disease may be present alongside storm injury; a storm is context, rather than proof of the cause.
Learn from the pattern
Repeated damage in the same exposed bed may suggest a planting palette that needs reconsideration. The next design can acknowledge wind, salt and drainage while keeping the garden welcoming.
Read the site before replacing the plants: Ask about a Landscape Assessment for a property-specific plan. For active storm-related landscape requests, call TLC at (727) 490-9692.
Sources: UF/IFAS storm aftermath and leaf scorch, Pinellas flooded landscapes.
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