Plants that are tolerant of a sea breeze...

[Palustris]

Most hebes will tolerate sea breezes and they can be kept low growing too.

[Snadger]

How about this one I've dragged up from the old memory bank? Elaeagnus ebbingii is an evergreen and is often used on 'Links' golf courses so must be salt tolerent!

[ChocClare]

I have just moved from a clifftop, though admittedly darn sarf rather than up north so the breezes may have reached gale force by the time they reach you. Growing on the cliff - right on the edge - were mallows, thrift and gorse. In my garden the 3 inch bit of rosemary that I planted in a moment of optimism when I first moved in grew to an ENORMOUS size and flourished happily - as did other rosemaries all down the road. Other than that the bottle brush plant (don't know its proper name) did very well, as did various grasses, but I can't bear grasses personally so I'm afraid I rather ignored those!

Failing that, how about some Jerusalem artichokes ??!!

[JennieAtkinson]

I am actually 2 miles from the sea, BUT ............ the wind is always salt-laden given that it blows from the south where the sea is and at tremendous speeds.

My fuschia magenellica does very well as does rosa rugosa. Some perennials do awfully well too - I have a lovely pink ragged cornflower that is very pretty and does well, although it does flop a bit (I could always send you a root Eskymo). It would spread quite well. Red hot pokers and montbretia also manage very well without any help.

I have no luck with evergreens - my only little bit of variegated holly which survived the winter has now been eaten by the starlings (b*****s!).