With increasing urbanization, home sizes continue to shrink, so does the size of the yard. And homeowners who enjoy some serene greenery outside their homes often end up asking: what are the best plants for a small garden?
Having a small outdoor space doesn’t mean you can’t have a great garden. However, when space is a constraint, every small detail counts, including the proper selection of plants. Make the most of every inch of your small garden by choosing the best plants for small gardens. And if you are someone looking for the best plants for your small garden, this post is for you.
Learn about some of the best plants for small gardens that will add a unique appeal to your small space, some of which may even make your yard appear bigger.
1. Star Jasmine – TrachelospermumJasminoides
When you have a small garden with limited floor space, let’s not forget that walls and fences are also a great opportunity to grow plants. And Trachelospermumjasminoides is one of the best choices for climber plants for your small garden. Commonly known as star jasmine, the Trachelospermumjasminoides is an evergreen climber with twining wooden stems. The plant has scented white flowers during summers that add a unique appeal to your garden. The plant grows best in warm and sunny areas with well-drained soil.
2. Shrub Rose – Rosa Bonica
Another flowering plant that makes a great choice of plants for a small garden is Rosa Bonica, also known as shrub rose. The plant grows up to 3-4 feet and spread around 4-5 feet, making it a great choice for small gardens. When planted as a climber, the plant may reach a height up to 13 feet.
Rosa Bonica produces little, powder pink roses and has dark, glossy foliage that adds a unique appeal to your yard and makes a perfect combination when planted around flowering plants that produce purple and blue flowers.
The pretty little rose plant produces roses repeatedly, and the flowers are lightly fragranced. In all, the plant is hardy and disease resistant and is one of the better plants for small gardens.
3. Tulipa ‘Spring Green’
Growing up to 14 inches tall, the Tulipa Spring Green is another plant that can stand out in your small garden. The flowering plant produces mesmerized white tulips that bloom in late spring and soft green feathering. The plant makes a perfect addition to any small garden that has rich, moist, and well-drained soil and thrives in areas with cool winters and warm, dry summers.
The easy-to-grow flowering plant can be a welcoming addition to your garden’s borders and beds and look stunning in a vase.
4. Hart’s Tongue Fern – AspleniumScolopendrium
While flowering plants add a distinct appeal to a garden, if you prefer to keep it simple and green, then Aspleniumscolopendrium is the plant you need for your small garden. Commonly known as Hart’s Tongue Fern, the plant grows up to 12-18 inches tall and wide. The leaves of this plant are shiny and wavy-edged, which develop in early spring and continue to thrive throughout the year.
The plant grows best in shady areas, so if you wish to plant it in your small garden, make sure you plant it at a spot that doesn’t get direct sunlight or is shaded by other trees and plants. The plant grows best in fertile and moist soil, especially when the plant is settling in. Once settled, hart’s tongue fern is an easy-to-maintain plant that can also thrive in dry soil.
5. Common Boxwood – BuxusSempervirens
BuxusSempervirens make another evergreen small garden staple. Also known as common boxwood, this plant makes a perfect feature for defining garden rooms and creating edges for pathways. Moreover, common boxwood also makes a great stand-alone focal point in containers. The plant reaches a height of up to 20 inches and spreads between 15-20 inches at maturity.
Common boxwood makes a great choice for small gardens as it can thrive in various light conditions ranging from shady conditions to full sun and a range of soil types.
6. Japanese Forest Grass – Hakonechloamacra ‘Aureola’
Japanese forest grass is a beautiful, slow-growing perennial that can be another great addition to your small garden. The smaller grasses can add season-long texture and color to your outdoor space and require little or no maintenance. The versatile grass can be used to edge borders or create patterns with other flowering plants. It can also make a stunning addition at the entrance of your garden or any other focal point.
The Japanese forest grass grows up to two feet high and performs best in well-draining, fertile soil.
7. Heavenly Bamboo -NandinaDomestica ‘Obsessed’
With a common name and appearance, heavenly bamboo, also known as Nandinadomestic, is not a bamboo. Instead, it is a compact shrub with unique foliage that changes from fiery red to fresh green during spring and then red again as fall begins. Apart from the distinct foliage, the pretty clusters of white flowers add more to the visual appeal of this plant.
Heavenly bamboo makes one of the best choices for a small garden has it can be grown in containers. But for best results, the plant should be grown in moist, well-drained soil in the shaded parts of your garden.
read also: 4 Best Evergreen Ground Cover Plants to Keep Your Garden Thriving All Year Round
Final Words
When space is a constraint, choosing the right plants makes all the difference. With the right choice of plants for your small garden, you can create a visually appealing space that allows you to relax and enjoy your outdoor space.
