Dieffenbachia with a sunburned leaf. These plants likes as much light as they can get without actually having the sun shine directly on it, except maybe very early AM or late PM. It's going to take a long time to dry out in that pot, which could give it root rot. Do you have a smaller pot? If that's the pot you found it in, that may be why it (they) wasn't doing well and discarded. It also looks like the 2nd one may have lost its' variegation, therefore its' attractiveness in the eye of the previous beholder.

Definitely right at the water, which if it splashes up there during winter storms is liable to kill part - maybe a lot - of the planting. I also wonder about washing out of some of the mulch and soil. It all depends on how much salt water - or salt spray - ever reaches the beds. That includes less usual years, with more adverse conditions than normal - those are the ones that will matter, over the life of the planting. What to expect will be indicated by looking up and down the shoreline to see what, if anything is growing that close to the water on other lots. I guess you did say it was weedy before it was cleared and planted. But did the ivy etc. extend all the way down to where the first, smaller bed is now?

Hi Danbonsai. Don't believe everything the ecoterrorists want you to believe. That is sandfood, Pholisma sonorae as dephora mentioned. I am one of the offroaders who absolutely love the Southern California dune systems, including the Algadones which we refer to as glamis. Sandfood seems to thrive in the areas the ATVs recreate in with many of us believing the traffic helps to spread the seeds along with a milkvetch whose false endangerment claim shut down many thousands of acres. While we understand direct ATV traffic will damage the top of the plant, there is no denying the plants are still abundant in our Southern dunes and seem to appear more often in trafficked areas verses the closed areas. It is a really neat plant to see in person and one where we generally stop to show the younger kids on the ride.

So many options! If you do dried flowers/weeds, you just have to replace them once in a while so they don't get old and dusty looking. I would not do all the same, but things that somehow relate or complement each other. Maybe a couple the same with a mix in a couple with ingredients from the others? Also think about having only 3 baskets in the area instead of two pairs. One on one end, two on the other? Lavender:curly willow (or something curly): cattails: wheat: