10 best plants to grow in small spaces
After some research and personal trial and error, here are eight great plants you can grow in small spaces around your home.
House plants and gardening have been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years regardless, but it seems the events of 2020 have managed to convert every last human into a plant parent. For those who are lucky enough to have beautiful gardens, the restrictions on what you can grow are only limited to the seasons. However, for those who live in apartments or other inner-city housing, gardens are far and few between.
That doesn’t mean you can’t work with what you have and still turn your home into a beautiful green oasis! After some research and personal trial and error, here are eight great plants you can grow in small spaces around your home.
Cherry tomatoes
If you’ve lived in a share house, you’ve probably had a housemate try to grow cherry tomatoes in the sliver of sunlight that comes through the kitchen window. There’s a reason these little tomatoes are so popular to grow, as they’re very compact, relatively low maintenance and yield plenty of produce for such a small plant.
All you really need to grow cherry tomatoes is a plastic pot or container with holes in the bottom for drainage, a pole or stick for the vines to hold onto and a whole lot of sunshine.
Herbs
Not only are herbs great for growing in small spaces, you can never have too many around if you love cooking. Herbs grow pretty quickly and tend to spread through the space they’re planted in, so if they’re in the ground they’ll grow quite bushy, but if they’re in a small pot they’ll adapt to the space. Some of our fave herbs to keep on our balconies are mint (great for using in salads and tea), basil (perfect for pasta sauces and adding to our Tomato Soup for the Soul) and thyme (delicious on roast root vegetables).
Lavender
Though it’s technically a herb, we’ve given lavender it’s own spotlight as many people also think of it as a flower. This beautifully fragrant plant can be grown in everything from large pots to small ones and loves sunshine and warm weather. Known for its wonderfully calming properties, you can tie a bunch in your shower where the steam will diffuse the scent, turn it into tea or dry it out and use it around the house.
Salad leaves
Salad staples like baby spinach and rocket are great for growing in small spaces as they have shallow roots, don’t require much but plenty of water and grow quickly. They prefer cooler environments, and even if you cut off all the leaves, as long as you cut an inch above the base they’ll grow back. You can never have too many fresh greens to use in salads and sauces, making these plants a good choice for any small garden space.
Snake plant
The perfect houseplant for those who might forget about their green baby for a few days at a time, snake plants are extremely durable. They can survive in environments with low light and little water, and will still hold their beautiful shape and colour. Pop this one in a pretty pot and sit it inside to add some life and brightness to any room.
Zanzibar Gem
The Zanzibar Gem, also known as ZZ, is originally from Zanzibar and is thought of to be the ‘houseplant of the future’. It’s one of the lowest maintenance plants available, only needing to be watered about three times a month and needing very little light to thrive. You can pop it in a large feature pot in a living space, or keep it on your desk in a small pot; whatever you decide to do with your ZZ, it’ll add a little colour to any corner.
Petunias
We spoke about petunias last week in our article on 10 ways to recycle or upcycle your Soulara packaging, but we love them so much we’re going to mention them again. Petunias are a great way to add a myriad of colour to your balcony, and they don’t take up a lot of space. They love loads of sunlight and do need regular fertilising though. A little trick is to use your used coffee grounds as fertiliser on petunias to ensure they bloom to their fullest.
New Guinea Impatiens
These pretty flowers can bloom in all different shades of pink, and they’re a reliable choice for flowering from spring until winter. They’re perfect for growing in pots as the soil will stay moist for longer, and they love both a bit of sun and a bit of shade. Pop them on your balcony, wait for them to bloom, sit back with a cup of tea and a Sunbliss Granola Bowl and admire your beautiful floral space.
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