Gentle breezes can be beneficial to a garden; they can cool plants down, help with pollination and seed dispersal, lower humidity and remove dead leaves. However, wind can also physically damage plants and their environment, discourage beneficial insects and make it difficult to control weeds, plant diseases and pests.

Prolonged wind (especially hot, dry wind) increases the rate at which water is lost from within the soil and the plants themselves. Plants may become desiccated and 'wind scorched', killing new buds and withering and blackening stems and leaves. Strong winds and gales can break stems and branches, weaken root systems and even uproot plants completely out of the ground. If woody plants are constantly exposed to strong winds, their top-growth can become uneven, giving them a lop-sided appearance.

Gardens in exposed sites such as coastal areas or hilltops are particularly affected. The severity of the wind can also be made worse by the poor positioning of trees or buildings. This can create wind funnels that channel the air, intensifying its strength and speed and causing a great deal of damage to plants in its path.

Elsewhere in this section we discuss how to protect your plants by creating an effiecient wind protection system.