Living with a narrow garden used to make me feel so limited in what I could grow.
That is, until I discovered these amazing vertical plants that completely transformed my small space.
If you’re struggling with tight spots or slim borders like I was, these ten stunning plants will help you make the most of every inch in your narrow garden!
Top 10 Plants for Narrow Spaces
1. Alliums
I’ll never forget the first time I planted alliums in my skinny side yard. These showstoppers rocket up 3-5 feet tall while barely spreading a foot wide!
Their puffball flowers in gorgeous shades of pink, purple, and white create such drama in late spring.
My favorites are the ‘Gladiator’, ‘Globe Master’, and ‘Mount Everest’ varieties – they’re like natural garden artwork on stems!
2. Flagpole Cherry (Prunus amanogawa)
This might be the most elegant space-saving tree I’ve ever grown. At 13-14 feet tall, it creates an absolutely stunning vertical display of cherry blossoms.
What I love most is its naturally columnar shape – no awkward pruning needed to keep it slim!
You can easily maintain it shorter too, which I do in my small garden to keep it in proportion.
3. Foxgloves
These cottage garden classics have become my go-to for filling those awkward narrow gaps between other plants.
Their tall spires reach up to 5 feet high while staying neat and tidy at just 1-1.5 feet wide.
I especially love placing them in shady corners where other plants struggle – they thrive there and come in the most gorgeous range of pinks, purples, whites, and yellows.
4. Espalier Fruit Trees
Talk about a game-changer for small spaces! My espalier apple tree gives me fresh fruit while taking up practically no ground space.
The branches are trained flat against my fence, creating living art that’s also productive.
While you can train them yourself, I opted for a pre-trained tree from my local nursery – definitely worth the extra cost for instant impact!
5. Iris
These beauties have become my secret weapon for those tricky spots near downpipes where the soil stays moist.
Their architectural blooms and large ornamental leaves create such presence while staying compact at about 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide.
I think of them as living sculptures, and they come in virtually every color imaginable!
6. Hollyhocks
Nothing says “cottage garden” quite like hollyhocks soaring 4-6 feet into the sky.
My grandmother always grew these along her narrow pathway, and now I do too – they’re perfect for adding height without width.
Just remember to stake them in windy spots (learned that lesson the hard way!)
7. Clematis
Every blank wall or fence in my garden gets a clematis these days. They’re like vertical color factories!
Their twining vines clothe any structure in sheets of purple, pink, or white blooms.
Best of all, they grow up instead of out, making them perfect for the smallest spaces.
8. Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
When I need serious height without width, Italian cypress is my go-to choice.
These Mediterranean beauties can reach 40 feet tall while staying incredibly slim.
They’re virtually maintenance-free and bring such elegant structure to the garden.
9. Columnar Fruit Trees
These space-saving wonders changed how I think about growing fruit in small gardens.
Imagine a fruit tree that grows straight up like a pole, with apples or pears growing right along the trunk!
I grow mine in large pots on my narrow patio – perfect for harvesting without ladders.
10. Arborvitae ‘Emerald Green’ (Thuja occidentalis)
This is my favorite year-round privacy solution for tight spaces.
At 15 feet tall but only 3-4 feet wide, they create the perfect green screen without hogging garden space.
I love how they keep their vibrant color even through winter, bringing life to the garden when everything else is dormant.
Closing Thoughts
Who knew narrow spaces could offer so many planting possibilities? With these vertical varieties, you can create a lush, layered garden even in the smallest space. I’ve transformed my own skinny side yard from a barren passage into a verdant paradise using these plants, and you can too!