Making a big impact in a small garden is easy with these impressive flowers and all-year-round foliage

Sometimes having a small garden can feel limiting; however, there are many ways you can make the most of your space to achieve an impressive-looking plot. Being clever with the plants you choose is one of these ways.

Even when you avoid making the common mistakes that can make your garden look smaller, it's hard to achieve the look you want when you are limited by space. Instead of letting your small garden restrict you, it's key to utilise what you have with plants and designs that maximise your compact plot.

One way is by picking plants with the biggest impact; that way, you're getting more from them, no matter how much space they take up. Small garden tips like this are a great way to stop yourself from feeling held back when it comes to creating an impactful outdoor space.

Big impact plants for small gardens

Whether you're a balcony gardener or simply don't have much room to work with, these plant varieties are perfect for small spaces.

"All of these varieties keep well in pots or soil, or borders, so if you’ve got a small space garden that you want to make a massive impact with, now you know how," explains Ish, gardening expert and influencer, @gardening.with.ish on Instagram.

Flowering varieties

Looking for some more flowers for small spaces? These plants might not have crossed your mind, but they're fantastic at providing lush blooms without needing heaps of room to grow. We’re going to kick off with flowering varieties, as recommended by Ish...

• Salvias: "Things like these salvias are brilliant in small gardens because they have a little bit of height to them and some colour which adds a little bit of drama; they’re also very drought-tolerant."
• Astilbe: "The astilbe is even better, it’s got a nice thick foliage and these even taller spikes of flowers, that have bright pink ones throughout summer."
• Lavender: "If you’re looking for something that’s very classic and works really well in a well-drained soil, go for your lavender. Remember it’s hardy because it’s an English lavender."
• Scabiosa: "Now, these are fantastic; they have a spring-to-summer flower and are really good pollinators. They don’t get too tall, but they do have a big effect."

All year-round foliage

Adding plants for autumn colour and even winter growth will mean your garden looks great even when it's not in summer bloom.

"Next is all year-round foliage. Things like grasses, heuchera, and even ivy, too, are really good for small gardens. The grasses like these can provide a little bit of height but a bit of texture, and when plants die around it, they still look strong," says Ish.

• Heuchera: "Moving on to heuchera, these come in reds, oranges, and yellows and look fantastic all year round. They even have a bit of summer interest with some flowers."
• Ivy: "And ivy gets a bit of a bad name, but it can be managed, and it can look really good around small archways." As long as you keep an eye on your ivy, you won't have to work hard on getting rid of it from your walls and fences.

Shade-loving plants

If you've ever looked at the best plants for shade, you'll know about hostas and how great they are for north-facing gardens.

• Hostas: "And finally, in a shady area, whether in a pot or in the ground, the humble hosta is always a winner. These also flower in the summertime, but provide this fantastic foliage that only gets bigger and bigger, which is perfect for filling out a small space. It does get mushed up by slugs, but a little bit of pellets around it, and you’ll be fine."

Don't even have space for plants? Use exterior lighting to make a small patio feel bigger and more welcoming, no green-thumbed skills needed.