8 Ways to Grow More Plants in Small Spaces
Use plants to bring your pocket garden to life
Falon Mihalic
June 7, 2016
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land Studio LLC. Through landscape design, I create spaces for quiet reflection and lush gardens using native plant palettes and sustainable stormwater techniques. I'm a contributing writer to Houzz so that I can be active in the conversation about sustainable design for residential projects. Learn more about my company's work at falonland.com
Houzz Contributor. Landscape Architect in Texas and Florida and owner of Falon Land... More
Plants boost all gardens with their color, texture, seasonal interest and beauty. It can be a challenge to squeeze more plantings into a small space, so you must think creatively to design a compact garden that maximizes vegetation. With a few simple tweaks — from planting a vertical garden to using small trees — you can bring more lushness to a small garden.
1. Work with easy plants. There are many plants that will thrive in a small space or container. The goal is to select ones that will thrive but not outgrow the space or become unwieldy. There are three main types to consider:
- Slow-growing: Plants with slower growth rates will require less maintenance, such as pruning.
- Dwarf varieties: Many woody shrubs are cultivated to grow to a more demure height, including dwarf crimson bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus ‘Little John’) and dwarf Encore azaleas.
- Spreaders and creepers: Vines and ground covers that have a spreading or creeping growth habit are easy to train onto a vertical surface or over the sides of a container. Their advantage for small spaces is that they will spread and climb to fill the space without much work on your part.
2. Go vertical. A vertical garden is an obvious choice for a small urban courtyard flanked by tall vertical surfaces. There are many products on the market to help you grow vertically, and choosing the best one depends on your garden’s microclimate and what kind of plants you want to grow. Other ways to grow vertically include creating an espalier from small trees or shrubs, growing vines on a trellis or creating a flying hedge with pleached trees.
10 Reasons to Love Vertical Gardens
10 Reasons to Love Vertical Gardens
3. Use large, thin containers. Larger containers can sometimes accommodate small trees and dwarf shrubs together. Another advantage of using a larger container in place of several small ones is that a larger planter has a more efficient footprint in a tight space. Look for containers that have slim profiles and are made of thin but strong materials like reinforced resin, galvanized steel or Cor-Ten.
4. Create layered plantings. This tropical garden looks extra lush because of its multitiered plantings. Raised beds feature plants of different heights, including smaller trees, shrubs of varying types and ground covers. The plants pour over one another and reach toward the light to fill this small courtyard with lush textures.
5. Plant in unlikely spots. There are so many little spaces where a small plant can grow: gaps in the paving, unused corners, along the back of a seating area, trailing up a stair railing or cascading down from a balcony. Think about ways to plant in a small soil volume that will have a big impact.
This multilevel rooftop garden integrates plants in creative ways. Notice how plants are tucked in under the stairwell and spill over the top railing.
This multilevel rooftop garden integrates plants in creative ways. Notice how plants are tucked in under the stairwell and spill over the top railing.
6. Plant small trees. A tree that grows to 10 or 12 feet tall can provide some shade and create a great top layer of greenery. A small tree will also create a better sense of a lush enclosure, which can help make an outdoor garden more comfortable on a hot day. As it grows, it may also create enough shade that you can plant shade-loving plants in its shadow.
5 Best-Behaved Trees to Grace a Patio
5 Best-Behaved Trees to Grace a Patio
7. Use bold plants. If you have extremely limited growing space, use plants with dramatic forms to create a unique planted space. The tall flower spikes shown here bring height and drama to this little garden. Other ideas for bold plants include perennials with tall flowers, profusely flowering vines, fan palms and cycads, funky cactuses, upright ferns and plants with large, showy leaves.
8. Integrate permanent raised beds. A permanent raised bed is a good investment for a small space, because it’s easy to add shrubs and small trees to a raised planter that’s intended to last for many years. Shown here is a brick masonry circular raised bed wrapping around a seating area. The raised bed allows for larger soil volume for hydrangeas and small pollarded trees.
More
16 Ways to Get More From Your Small Backyard
4 Tips for Designing a Wildlife-Friendly Small Garden
More
16 Ways to Get More From Your Small Backyard
4 Tips for Designing a Wildlife-Friendly Small Garden
Clients appreciate Emily's ability to bring designs to life through the use of advanced 3D renderings and her... Read More
What are you working on?
Related Products
I have specialized in kitchen and bath designs for the past 20 years. I am an NKBA certified designer and would... Read More
Related Stories
Porches
Porch of the Week: Catching a Breeze in Austin, Texas
By Becky Harris
The new screened-in space has a beautiful fireplace as a focal point and includes lounging and dining spaces
Full Story
Before and Afters
Before and After: 4 Landscapes That Bring Resort Style Home
Stunning fire pits, luxurious pools, elegant entertaining zones and other relaxing spots give these yards vacation vibes
Full Story
Before and Afters
Before and After: 3 Exuberant, Wildlife-Friendly Landscapes
By Elena Vega
Ho-hum expanses give way to colorful meadow-inspired gardens that encourage butterflies, birds and bees to stay awhile
Full Story
Landscape Design
7 Key Features to Include in Your New Landscape Design
By Kate Burt
Looking to create a gorgeous outdoor space that suits your home and lifestyle? Start by considering these options
Full Story
Events
Outdoor Flooring, Turf and Tile Products for 2024
By Julie Sheer
See the latest materials for patios, decks and yards displayed at the recent Surfaces trade show
Full Story
Saving Water
10 Gardens That Capture and Drain Water With Style
Landscape pros design beautiful and hardworking gardens that effectively drain and manage rainwater and runoff
Full Story
Before and Afters
Yard of the Week: Ranch Home Opens Up to Indoor-Outdoor Living
A home and landscape makeover near Denver creates harmony and connection between interior and exterior spaces
Full Story
Patios
15 Outdoor Spaces That Rock Permeable Paving
These patios, paths and driveways showcase beautiful and integrated drainage solutions
Full Story
Outbuildings
Family Gatherings in Argentina Inspire a Pavilion and Guesthouse
By Becky Harris
A new yard adds room for hosting, swimming and bringing part of one homeowner’s culture to her family’s Seattle home
Full Story
Gardening Guides
What Will We Want in Our Landscapes in 2024?
Discover seven trends that landscape designers predict homeowners will be bringing into their outdoor spaces this year
Full Story
CC Cwiklinski: I'd like to take the credit for the shaping of the Tower of Flowers you saw, but it just happened. I decided on what I wanted to plant [I didn't want to get into dead-heading - too much time and doesn't stay pretty]. Didn't know the type of flowers but I did know the color. The Tower has 20 individual pods where each flower is planted. Originally Tower was designed for fruits and vegetables and I do have Towers for those plants. I was experimenting with the flowers and my first attempt did pretty good. This year another set of flowers. When I choose the location of the flowers, its more about alternating colors vs anything else. I'm not a gardener to know just how big or arching they will be. What I can tell you is they grow much larger in the Tower than a conventional garden and certainly less maintenance in the Tower. Thanks for asking and letting me know if you'd like more information.
Great examples. Here are some of our own gardens.
Wow. One of the greatest challenges is finding the people (company) qualified to bring these amazing designs into reality.