Hurricanes bring heavy rain, storm surge, and strong winds. Your yard cannot stop a storm, but smart landscaping can help water move where it should, soak into the ground, and keep wind from doing as much damage. Think of this as a simple plan to protect your home and keep your landscape looking good after the storm passes.

Quick wins you can do right away

Make sure your soil slopes away from the house. Clear gutters and add downspout extensions.
Trade solid concrete for permeable options where you can, like pavers or gravel paths that let water through.
Add a shallow rain garden or swale to catch roof and driveway runoff.
Use shredded wood mulch instead of loose gravel near the house.
Plant a layered windbreak on the side that gets the strongest wind.
Have a Certified Arborist prune trees before hurricane season.
Put away or tie down furniture, planters, and décor when a watch or warning goes out.

1. Start with water: grading, gutters, and downspouts

Goal: keep water away from your foundation.

What to do: create a gentle slope away from the house, fix any low spots, and keep gutters clean. Add downspout extensions or splash blocks so water does not dump right at the base of the wall. This is the fastest, cheapest upgrade most homes can make.

2. Capture and soak: rain gardens and swales

Why it helps: rain gardens are shallow, planted areas that slow water down and let it soak into the ground. That means less puddling in the yard and less water heading toward the street or your crawlspace.

How to do it: place the garden at least 10 feet from the house. A simple rule is to size it to about 5 to 10 percent of the roof and driveway area that drains into it. Choose native plants that can handle both wet and dry periods. If you are not sure where water wants to go, we can help you site and size it.

3. Swap solid surfaces for permeable ones

Problem: solid concrete and asphalt shed water quickly, which makes yard flooding worse.

Upgrade: permeable pavers, pervious concrete, or even well-graded gravel paths allow rain to pass through a base layer and into the soil. These surfaces cut down on runoff and help filter pollutants. They also look great and can boost curb appeal.

4. Plant a living windbreak that likes salt and wind

What it does: a layered hedge with small trees and shrubs slows the wind before it hits your home. It can also catch debris. Choose hardy coastal plants that handle salt spray, gusts, and the occasional flood.

Great picks for the NC coast

Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera): fast, evergreen, and forgiving. Works nicely as a screen.
Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria): tough, salt tolerant, and easy to shape into a hedge.
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana): one of the most wind-resistant trees around. Best for larger spaces and set back from structures.
Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris): stabilizes sandy soil and brings a big pop of pink in fall.

Pro tip: stagger shrubs in two rows so the wind has to weave through them. Give trees room so mature branches do not rub the roof.

5. Pick storm-smart mulch and bed materials

Skip pea gravel near the house. In a storm, small stones can move and cause damage. Shredded bark or wood mulch locks together, stays put better, and still looks clean. Keep it at about 2 to 3 inches deep and refresh once a year.

6. Tree care that lowers risk

Healthy, well-pruned trees are far less likely to fail in a storm. Ask an ISA Certified Arborist to prune to industry standards. That usually means removing dead wood, lightening long heavy limbs, and fixing poor branch attachments. Do this before hurricane season, not after a warning is posted.

7. A simple tie-down and clean-up plan

When a tropical storm or hurricane watch hits, bring in or secure furniture, grills, planters, umbrellas, and trash or recycle bins. Clear yard drains and curb inlets. These small steps protect your home and your neighbors.

A sample coastal palette that works

Windbreak and privacy: Wax Myrtle, Yaupon Holly
Anchor tree, if you have the room: Live Oak or a compact Southern Magnolia cultivar
Rain garden edge: Pink Muhly Grass, Soft Rush (Juncus effusus), Sweetspire (Itea virginica)

Ready for a storm-smart yard plan?

We design and install drainage fixes, permeable patios and driveways, coastal windbreaks, and rain gardens that look good all year and bounce back after storms.

Explore our services: Drainage, Stream Restoration, Hurricane Restoration, Lawn Leveling
Or contact us to schedule a site visit in New Hanover, Brunswick, or the Outer Banks

For evacuation routes and surge maps, always follow guidance from your county and the National Weather Service.

How to Reduce Flood and Wind Damage on the NC Coast with Storm-Ready Landscaping