One year on: Vetiver on the foreshore

These photos may not look exciting or  succulent . Taken over a 12 month period, they log the growth of  Vetiver grass planted on the foreshore -- facing into the weather.
Despite Drought, King Tide and Storm Surge the plants have survived with very few losses.
This image, below gives you an indication of how close they are growing to the salt water.
The dead sea weed lines indicate the varying high tide marks.

The blue misting indicates the high high tide and storm mark.  Over the 12 month period, the dead tree  has since collapsed, and  surges has been strong enough to upend the heavy cement seats in the background and wash away half the pathway seen in the photo below.

 

But the Vetiver is still holding the embankment in place and together. Any erosion has occurred only where the Vetiver has not been planted, even though  the sea water has washed  against the shoreline, even exposing a couple of Vetiver roots. 

 

The plants took a full 12 months to consolidate in the very hostile conditions. Now, touch wood, they can really start to do their job.
A  hard engineering wall of heavy stones would cost around $15,000 - $18,000 to  put in place.  Hard engineering has a deleterious impact on the dynamic of the ebb and flow of the sand -- as the relentless force of the waves churns down into the sand and draws it away at the base.
In contrast,  approximately 300 Vetiver slips  were planted out.