10 Tall and Thin Plants for Narrow Garden Spaces

Do you have a narrow space in your border or in between other plants and are not sure what to add? In small garden spaces, wide-spreading shrubs can quickly take over valuable garden space. However, the slender plants on this list are great for adding height and color to a small garden space without taking up too much space.

Tall and thin plants work well at the back, or middle of arrangements. Whether you have a narrow border or a container garden, these plants are perfect for adding a variety of heights.

Most of the plants on this list are deciduous, so if you’re looking to provide year-round screening and privacy, check out these narrow evergreen plants.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through one of these links I may earn a commission. This comes at no extra cost to you.

Tall and Thin Plants for Narrow Garden Spaces

Whether you’re looking for slender shrubs or neat and narrow flowers, these plants are naturally slim and perfect for slotting into urban gardens with tight spaces or narrow borders!

1. Alliums

Alliums produce tall chunky stems with a beautiful puffball of flowers on top. They bloom in late Spring, adding amazing shades of pink, purple, or white to a garden.

Their foliage is very compact, yet they send up these amazing floral spheres on long stems. Perfect for slotting into a narrow border or a small container.

Some of our favorite allium varieties:

• Gladiator
• Globemaster
• Mount Everest

Height: 3-5ft

Spread: 1ft

2. Flagpole Cherry 

The Flagpole Cherry (Prunus ‘amanogawa’) is a perfect way of bringing the joy of cherry blossom into a narrow garden space.

They have a natural, columnar growing habit and will generally reach a maximum size of about 13-14ft without pruning. With pruning, you can easily keep it at a shorter and more manageable size.

Height: 14ft (without pruning)

Spread: 3ft spread (without pruning)

3. Lollipop Tree

More of a pruning style than a tree species, but lollipop trees are a great option for narrow garden spaces! These trees have been grown and carefully trained and pruned to form a ‘lollipop’ shape. With a long trunk and usually a rounded head of dense foliage.

Great species of tree to find in topiary ‘lollipop’ styles are:

• Privet
• Loquat
• Box
• Olive

A shaped tree or shrub will be a bit more expensive than a young tree of the same species. However, it’s a great option when you want to fill a space quickly. To maintain their shape you’ll need to invest in a good pair of trimmers, like these hedge clippers from Amazon, or this small and cheaper pair of hand-held clippers.

Height: Often 4-5ft (might need pruning)

Spread: 1.5ft (might need pruning)

4. Foxgloves 

With a tall spire of beautiful, tubular-shaped flowers, foxgloves are great for filling narrow gaps in borders. Plus, you can find them in an amazing variety of colors. Foxgloves are also brilliant plants to grow in a shady garden.

Height: 5ft tall max.

Spread: 1-1.5ft

5. A Columnar Fruit Tree 

Only have one foot of space left at the end of your balcony? How about a fruit tree? From apples and cherries to peaches and pears, columnar fruit trees are a great way to save space while still being able to pick your own fruits.

You could even create your own mini orchard within a few square feet of space. Pair a columnar plum tree with an apple and you’ll be picking fruits from summer into autumn. Check out our guide to growing apple trees in small spaces for tips and guidance.

Height: Usually 6-8ft tall max.

Spread: 1-2ft

6. Espalier Fruit Tree

If you have a narrow space against the back of a wall or fence then an espalier fruit tree is a great option! It’s a really popular way of growing apple and pear trees.

If you’re unsure about training your own fruit tree, you can buy espalier fruit trees from most large nurseries or fruit tree specialists. These have already been pruned into this unique shape. They’ll cost a bit more but it’s a great way of quickly filling a narrow but wide space while having a crop of tasty fruit!

Height: Usually 6ft tall max.

Spread: Usually 10-14ft max.

Depth: 0.5-1ft

You might like | How to Grow Apple Trees in a Small Garden

7. Iris

Irises are a beautiful option for a partially shaded part of the garden that’s high in moisture (for example near a downpipe). They have large ornamental leaves that wrap around tall stems topped with incredibly architectural blooms. You can find irises in an amazing array of colorways and varieties.

Height: 2ft

Spread: 1ft

8. Hollyhocks 

One of the most iconic cottage garden plants, hollyhocks are known for their spires of beautiful blooms. In the Cotswolds in the UK, they’re a common sight, bobbing over the tops of cottage garden walls.

Like foxgloves, their foliage stays compact, but they’ll send up several spires of flowers. They may need support if they’re standing alone, especially if your garden is exposed to high winds. These metal plant supports from Amazon can help to keep your Hollyhocks upright and secure.

Height: 4-6ft+

Spread: 2.5ft

9. Verbena 

Verbena plants produce beautiful clusters of tiny purple flowers on long thin stems. They naturally have a very vertical growing habit and don’t tend to spread outwards.

We keep ours in a small clay pot. With a little fresh compost and feed in Spring it will send out a new flush of tall stems.

Height: 4-5ft

Spread: 1-1.5ft

10. Clematis 

These perennial climbers are a great option for filling narrow garden spaces near a wall or trellis. They’re one of the best climbers for balcony gardens too because of their compact shape.

There’s such an amazing variety of clematis to choose from. From the winter flowering Clematis armandii to Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’ which produces large pink flowers through summer.

They usually have delicate foliage and flowers that will climb a wall or trellis to provide amazing texture and colors. This expandable trellis from Amazon is useful for climbing clematis as you can easily store it in the winter months.

Just note that they don’t climb using tendrils, so they may need tying in against some structures. This ladder style trellis is a great option as you can tuck and wrap the growing vines around the slats.

Height: 6-8ft

Spread: 1-2ft

You might like | Evergreen climbers for a balcony or small garden

Climbers are also great as you usually still have space underneath to plant something else! Other beautiful climbers to consider are sweet peas, Virginia creeper, and even unusual bean varieties.

If you’re looking for plants to provide screening, check out these narrow evergreen plants.