Every gardener wishes they had 25 acres to garden on, right? Well, maybe not, but most of us do dream of a healthy amount of ground to build beds and borders to our hearts’ desire. The reality for homeowners today, however, is that land is expensive and that typical suburban lots have decreased in size steadily since the 1970s. And smaller lots mean smaller gardens. That isn’t a problem, though, if you select plants that are polite and “stay in their lane,” as the kids say. On this episode, Danielle and Carol talk about compact plants that are perfect for tighter spaces. Several perennials, one annual, and even a few well-behaved shrubs made the list. If you have a tiny plot, filling it with these beauties will enable you to have a wide variety of colors and textures without sacrificing too much of your precious square footage.

Guest: Julie Lane Gay lives and gardens in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she previously owned a nursery specializing in climbers and perennials.

Danielle’s Plants

Creeping variegated gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides ‘Radicans Variegata’, Zones 8–11)

‘Prairie Moon’ rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium ‘Prairie Moon’, Zones 3–8)

Spicy Devil^® ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘ZLENATALIE’, Zones 3–7)

‘Jack of Diamonds’ brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack of Diamonds’, Zones 3–8)

Carol’s Plants

Ivory Halo^® dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’, Zones 3–7)

‘Rainbow Bouquet’ dwarf strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatus ‘Rainbow Bouquet’, annual)

Let’s Dance Sky View^® hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla × serrata ‘SMNHSME’, Zones 4–9)

‘Summer Beauty’ allium (Allium tanguticum ‘Summer Beauty’, Zones 4–9)

Find even more fabulous alliums: The Best Summer Alliums to Grow: Plant Trial Results

Expert’s Plants

‘Brunette’ baneberry (Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’, Zones 3–8)

‘Firepower’ heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Firepower’, Zones 6–9)

‘Adirondack’ crabapple (Malus ‘Adirondack’, Zones 4–8)

Solitary clematis (Clematis integrifolia, Zones 4–7)