Experts identify the best flowers for small spaces: charming florals for compact gardens

Don't feel disheartened if you don't have much space in your garden to add your favourite plants, because there are ways to make the most of any plot you have when you know what plants to use.

From the best cutting flowers to plants that flower nonstop, there's nothing better than filling your garden with impressive blooms and colour. However, when you're tight on space, it can be a challenge to fit all your favourite flowers or even find ones that work with the amount of room you have.

We've asked experts to recommend the flower species that best suit small spaces – and there's more than enough to brighten up your garden all year round.

Our edit of the best flowers for small spaces

Similar to using small garden tips to maximise the potential of your outdoor space, some plants are more than happy to live in smaller plots.

So whether you're looking to brighten up your balcony or want to utilise vertical space in the garden, these are the flowers that will thrive.

1. Sea Thrift

Sea thrift is a beloved plant with lots of versatility. It is often recommended to be grown on green roofs thanks to its taller growth pattern.

"Widely grown in rockeries, for edging or as ground cover, armeria maritima is a popular evergreen perennial whose grass-like foliage keeps your garden looking healthy even in winter," says Lucie Bradley, gardening expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. "From late spring all through summer, it blooms with ‘pom-pom’ flowers on slender, leafless stems which hold them 5 to 30cm above the grassy foliage."

"These ‘pom-poms’ are dense clusters of tiny, tubular florets, for bright blooms of vibrant red choose ‘Ballerina Red’ or ‘Splendens’ for vivid magenta-pink flowers, whilst for a classic white ‘Abbey White’ excels with a generous display of crisp white blooms," she adds.

Lucie Bradley

With over 28 years working in the garden industry, Lucie has been fortunate enough to spend every day speaking to both amateur and professional gardeners. Encouraged to garden since she was old enough to walk, she believes that you can never know everything about gardening, as it is constantly evolving.

2. Hardy Geranium

Geraniums are not only a fragrant plant that makes your house smell good, but they are also ideal if you have a smaller garden and not much time to care for it.

"A low-maintenance, resilient perennial that returns year after year, cranesbill is a great addition to any small space, as they not only produce an abundance of blooms continuously from late spring through to the first frost, but their dense foliage is excellent for covering bare soil, with their attractive leaves suppressing weeds," explains Lucie.

"Extremely popular for their ability to thrive in a wide range of positions, from deep shade to full sun, with over 700 varieties to choose from, you can select the ideal ones for your garden based on size, colour and habitat. Choose geranium ‘Rozanne’ for a nearly continuous display of large, saucer-shaped violet blue blooms with white centres, which are complemented by marbled green foliage that turns red or bronze when temperatures fall in the autumn," she continues.

3. Sweet Alyssum

When you're limited on space, picking plants for pollinators as well as ones that like compact conditions is an even better way to utilise what you have.

"Easy to sow directly outdoors from April through to May, sweet alyssum is a low maintenance, fast growing annual that rewards you with its intense, honey-like scent and long blooming season as well as being a magnet for pollinators such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies," starts Lucie.

"The delicate grey-green or silvery-green foliage of sweet alyssum has a lovely soft texture and forms low mounds ranging from 5cm up to 30cm, depending on the variety. From early summer through to autumn, this foliage will be covered in masses of tiny, four-petaled blossoms which almost hide the green leaves," she explains.

4. Lavender

Knowing how to care for a lavender plant is not the most challenging thing in the world, but it comes with many benefits, its relaxing scent being just one.

"Lavender is good for growing in small spaces, as there are compact and dwarf varieties well suited to this. It grows well in pots if your garden has limited planting space. Still, larger lavender varieties will need to be grown in larger containers, so check the expected size of the plant before buying," says Richard Barker, Commercial Director and horticulture expert at LBS Horticulture.

Richard Barker

With 4 years in the industry, Richard is an expert in horticulture and the commercial director at LBS Horticulture. He is keen to share his knowledge with both experienced and beginner gardeners, and prides himself in keeping up to date in the latest horticultural trends.

5. French Marigolds

Not only are marigolds the common flower that can help repel pests, but they're also great at living in smaller pots and flower beds.

"Marigolds are excellent for growing in small spaces, with French marigolds being the best variety as they are more compact. A single French marigold can thrive in a six-inch pot if space is very limited, but avoid planting African marigolds as they can grow to be over a metre," explains Richard.

FAQs

What flowers can I plant in a very narrow space?

Even when you've avoided all the common mistakes that make your garden look smaller, narrow spaces are incredibly hard to work with sometimes.

"If you are working with a narrow space, the best approach is to plant flowers that grow vertically, such as wisteria or jasmine, and you can even go a step further by pairing them with trellises or a simple wire for added support," says Alex Biggart, brand manager and gardening expert at 123 Flowers.

"If a vertical flower isn’t an option, consider flowers that don’t spread too far outward when flowering – some great examples of this are alyssum or dwarf dianthus!" he adds.

"Should the space be extremely tight, container planting may be the best bet. Planters or wall-mounted containers allow you to have control over the growth whilst still benefiting from the flower’s beauty. Overall, the key is choosing flowers that grow up rather than out," continues Alex.

What are the best perennials for small spaces?

Perennials are great additions to your garden, especially if you want that second summer flush of floral colours.

"Ideal for narrow or small spaces, astrantia has a compact, clump-forming habit whose tall, upright stems hold exquisite, intricate, star-shaped flowers up to a metre high," starts Lucie.

"One of the longest-blooming perennials, they will start flowering in late spring and, with deadheading, will continue flowering into early autumn. Their flowers are rich in nectar, making them magnets to beneficial pollinators like bees, hoverflies and butterflies," she adds.

"Low maintenance and pest resistant, astrantia will thrive in moist, rich soil and partial shade. For large, deep red flowers and dominant, dark-red tipped bracts, I’d recommend ‘Gill Richardson’ which has a compact spread making it perfect for small spaces," Lucie finishes.

Perennials are also great if you're looking for plants for wet gardens, especially if they're the hardy type.

Shop planting essentials

There are many ways you can make a small garden look bigger, but finding the right plants and flowers for your space is a great first step.