
What to plant in an already full garden?
Suitable plants, tips and advice
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Whether small or large, a garden can sometimes end up feeling full, and no further planting may be possible. There are, however, many space-saving plants that you can tuck in between those already in place, to add extra colour and scent. Here is a selection of plants that are easy to integrate into a densely planted garden. Bulbs and perennials of course, but also climbing plants, which take up little space on the soil, as well as some ideas for plants to grow in pots, to push the boundaries of the garden, so to speak!
Bulbs, for touches of colour that find their way everywhere!
Bulbs, because of their small size, are easy to plant and there is always room to plant a few. Some even naturalise and thus form a slightly more opulent tapetum each year. People often think of bulbs with spring flowering, but did you know there are also ones that flower at other times, from winter to autumn? Even in an already densely planted garden, you’ll always find a little space to plant them. You can plant them in small groups or even scatter them through your short grass meadow at random. Natural, romantic effect guaranteed!
Early-flowering bulbs
Some bulbs, very hardy, are exceptionally early and can flower as early as February. They then keep a low profile for the rest of the season, when their neighbours take centre stage.
- Snowdrops, as their name suggests, can lift their bell-shaped flowers above a tapetum of powder snow.
- Crocuses are also small bulbs, easy to tuck among existing plants. They offer a range of colours that celebrate the end of winter.
- Irises offer small varieties, with early, fragrant flowering, such as Iris reticulata, comfortable even in alkaline soil.
- Fond of cool soils, Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) unfurls its bright yellow flowers before its foliage, thus highlighting their corollas.
- The pale blue, streaked with darker midlines, of the porcelain flowers of Scilla tubergeniana is very delicate, and the flowering is also slightly scented.
→ They also take up little space : Cyclamen coum, Hyacinths, Spring Snowflake, Bulbocodium vernum, Ipheion.

Snowdrops, Iris reticulata, Eranthis hyemalis, Crocus angustifolius, Scilla tubergeniana mischtschenkoana, Cyclamen coum, Ipheion uniflorum
Spring-flowering bulbs
Many bulbs bloom in spring, and it’s almost impossible not to notice the flowering of Muscari, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips or Fritillaries in (almost) every garden. They are classics for good reason! To enrich this already appealing palette, introduce other reliable choices.
- Chionodoxa produces, in early spring, pretty star-shaped flowers in shades of white, pink or blue edged with white.
- Anemones offer a wide diversity of species with spring flowering. The best known are Anemone blanda and Anemone coronaria, but Anemone nemorosa, Anemone ranunculoides and Anemone x. lipsiensis also have many qualities. Some varieties are even true curiosities, such as Anemone ‘Bracteata Plena’, or Anemone ‘Green Finger’.
- Irises remain in the spotlight in spring, between April and June, thanks to species such as Iris hollandica, with large flowers and bold patterns, much appreciated as cut flowers.
- An understorey or a lightly shaded area in your garden? Look closely, you probably still have space to plant bluebells, also called Scilla nutanss or Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Undemanding, they naturalise easily.
→ They also take up little space : Allium, Camassias, Siberian lily, Ipheion.

Muscari, Hyacinths, Chionodoxa ‘Blue Giant’, Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’, Iris hollandica, Camassia, Alliums giganteum
Summer-flowering bulbs
Summer also brings its share of bulbs with attractive flowering.
- Garlic is not confined to the kitchen, and there are ornamental varieties, much prized by gardeners. Some varieties start flowering in spring and continue into part of the summer. Among the latest varieties are Allium ‘Summer Drummer’, Allium millenium, Allium ‘White Cloud’ or Allium montanum.
- Lilies brighten summer gardens with their very fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in incredible colours and extravagant forms. You can plant them in some empty spots in your borders so they rise above or among neighbouring plants.
- Gladioli can easily slip between existing plants, which can even serve as supports. They come in a wide range of colours that burst in mid-summer.
→ They also take up little space : Amaryllis sonatini ‘Alasca’, Begonias, Freesias, garden orchids.

Alliums millenium, Botanical lily leichtinii, Gladiolus of Abyssinia, Begonia Bertinii, freesias
Autumn-flowering bulbs
Autumn is renowned for foliage in flamboyant hues, which can be enriched by late-flowering bulbs.
- Colchicums, whose flowering, reminiscent of crocus, lights up the late season, provided you planted them in summer!
- Autumn Crocuses are also excellent additions, such as Crocus speciosus ‘Albus’, with white flowering, Crocus speciosus ‘Conqueror’, pale blue veined with darker blue, or Crocus sativus, the saffron crocus, whose stigmata are used as a prized spice.
- Sternbergia lutea is a small bulb with lovely, bright yellow flowering.
- Fairly tender, but delightfully decorative, Nerines produce numerous star-shaped flowers in white, pink, red or orange shades.
- Sea Squill (Urginea maritima) sends up dense, white, scented flower spikes to 1.5 m, before producing its foliage. Fast-growing and of moderate hardiness, it is much appreciated for bouquet-making.
- Growing from a tubercle rather than a bulb, Cyclamen of Naples brings colour to shaded spots. Flowers are pink or white and appear before the foliage, which is also very decorative and persists from autumn through to the following spring.

Colchicums, Nerines, Saffron crocus, Urginea maritima and carpet of Cyclamen hederifolium (Cyclamen of Naples)
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10 dwarf fruit trees to grow in potsVersatile, compact perennials
Passionate gardeners always find space to add a new plant, even in a border that seemed completely full. Small perennials and grasses are plentiful for this purpose.
- Acanea forms a pretty evergreen groundcover with a very low, mat-forming habit that slips in at base of taller neighbours. Its colourful, decorative foliage is topped late in season by unusual fruits resembling feathered chestnuts.
- For low, colourful mats, moss phlox are perfect candidates. They form colourful mats in a range of shades for many weeks between April and June.
- From spring through late summer, violets display their small, scented flowers in rich colours. Foliage is sometimes very decorative, as with Viola koreana ‘Mars’.
- Symbol of spring, primroses are among first perennials to flower, sometimes as early as January in mild climates. Asian species flower later and bloom in summer.
- Sedums brighten gardens with their late-summer or autumn flowering. They produce star-shaped flowers in various colours. Depending on species, some behave as groundcovers, others adopt a more erect, taller habit. Foliage, evergreen to deciduous, contributes to decorative effect of this architectural plant. If you have a small unused roof, an interesting option is to use the lowest-growing species to create a green roof.
- Persicaria tenuicaulis reaches no more than 15 cm and serves as a pretty groundcover, with green foliage flushed purple. In late spring, charming spikes of white flowers with black stamens rise above foliage for a striking decorative effect. It tolerates planting among competing tree roots without problem. Perfect for adding a few extra plants to a corner of garden you thought too poor until now.
→ They also take up little space : Carex, hellebores, heucheras, Armeria maritima, Ophiopogon, pinks, dwarf asters, dwarf globeflower, dwarf aquilegia, dwarf meadow-rue.

Acaena buchananii, Viola koreana ‘Mars’, Primroses, Phlox douglassi ‘Lilac Cloud’, dwarf Thalictrum kiusianum
Climbing plants to make the most of vertical space
The climbing plants have the great advantage of often taking up very little ground space, and of adding verticality to the garden. If horizontal space is lacking, never mind! There are surely some bushes or trees that can then serve as supports for decorative lianas. Also think of walls, whether a fence, the house wall or the garage. An unsightly wire fence is also ideal for adding decorative foliage, colourful blooms or extra fragrance. And nothing stops you planting a stake here and there to hang a new climbing plant and so enrich your plant palette.
- In shade, even in poor soil, ivy thrives without problem. It offers solid green or variegated foliage, is decorative year-round, provides habitat for a variety of wildlife and even acts as thermal insulation. Sometimes unfairly maligned, don’t be put off by common misconceptions about it.
- Among other evergreen climbers, some clematis combine decorative, scented flowering, as does Trachelospermum, with its exquisite jasmine-like scent. Some Hydrangeas climbing are also good candidates for this exposure.
- Combine exceptional blooms and fragrances with climbers such as wisterias, which can festoon large trees. Some, like Wisteria ‘Amethyst Falls’, do not exceed 4 m and can therefore fit into small gardens, even in town. Clematis such as Clematis ‘Apple Blossom’ or Clematis flammula ‘Sweet Summer Love’ also diffuse a noticeable fragrance.
- Add colour high up in bleak season with winter-flowering clematis. A little tender, they are nevertheless easy to grow. Their star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers display colours sometimes worthy of a craftsman and bring cheerful accents.
- Another classic is winter jasmine. Unperfumed, its yellow flowering warms even the gloomiest days, especially as it appears on bare stems. Hardy, drought-resistant, very easy to grow, it is suited to all gardeners.
- Spring brings many interesting climbers: ornamental kiwi (foliage variegated green with cream and pink), Akebia (cream or purple slightly scented flowers), honeysuckles (‘Sweet Isabel’ does not exceed 3 m), spring-flowering clematis (flowers in many shapes and colours, modest sizes), and not forgetting essential climbing roses (available in all sizes and colours and some deliciously scented).
- Summer is no exception, with, among others, bold-hued bougainvilleas, fragrant jasmines (Jasminum stephanense, Jasminum grandiflorum, Jasminum officinale ‘Aureum’), long-flowering Solanum or summer-flowering clematis, to run through bushes or hedges or to pair with your roses’ flowering. Very easy to succeed and decorative within weeks, annual climbers with rapid growth quickly climb for a season against neighbouring plants.
- Also invest in autumn, and adorn remaining vertical spaces with foliage that flames late in season, such as that of ornamental vines or Hydrangea ‘Winter Surprise’.
→ It is perfectly possible to combine two climbers together (clematis and rose or ivy and morning glory for example), which lets you play with simultaneous or staggered flowering, or with combinations of foliage and flowers.

Climbing hydrangea and ivy in shady area, winter jasmine and honeysuckle in semi-shade, clematis, Trachelospermum jasminoides and Solanum
Potted plants for an ever-changing display!
A windowsill? A driveway? A spot beneath trees (at their base, or suspended) ? A terrace or a patio? These are all places to introduce new plants, especially since growing in pots allows all manner of bold choices. Tender plants can be sheltered in bad weather, and if nature of your soil does not allow all plants, you can easily adapt substrate they need, thus getting round that difficulty. Another asset of container growing is possibility to change decor from year to year, even from season to season! Everything then depends on your wishes…
- Why not start a small collection of perennials, such as Hostas for example, growing in pots also allowing you in addition to protect them better from slugs.
- Or perhaps you prefer to opt for grasses, for their graphic effect, their lightness and their ability to catch light.
- The annuals (to sow or to plant as plug plants) offer a long and generous flowering. Many bushes and small trees can be grown in pots, including dwarf fruit trees, guaranteeing bountiful harvests for the whole family.
- Enhance home cooking with your own herbs, very easy to grow in small pots, space-saving, to place close to the kitchen.
- Finally, many aquatic plants thrive very well in pot. Horsetails, small water lilies or a Thalia happily adorn a large tub, a barrel or even a zinc basin, and bring a welcome sense of freshness in hot weather, with very low maintenance.
Choice is practically unlimited, because whatever exposure and climate you enjoy, there is bound to be a plant (or more!) to catch your eye!

Hosta, dwarf conifers, perennials, aquatic plants… vary your decor thanks to plantings in pots
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