Pocket Garden Ideas for Tiny UK Spaces

A pocket garden is a planted space of just a few square metres. Think basement light-wells, side returns, the step by a front door, a tiny courtyard or a little balcony. You can’t spread out, so the trick is to plant upwards and keep things simple.

These tiny spaces bring their own puzzles, from deep shade to nowhere to sit. If you have a bit more room, our small garden design ideas are a better fit.

Types of pocket garden

Most pocket gardens fall into one of five types, each with its own challenge.

• Basement light-well. Deep shade and walls on all sides. Ferns and pale paint are your friends.
• Side return. A narrow strip down the side of a terrace, often shady and windy. Our guide to side return garden ideas goes into detail.
• Doorstep or tiny front plot. On show to everyone, so evergreen pots that look good all year work best.
• Tiny courtyard. Walls give shelter and warmth, perfect for climbers.
• Small balcony. Weight, wind and drips matter. See our balcony gardening ideas for the full story.

Plant upwards in three layers

Use the walls, not just the floor. Three layers fit almost any tiny space.

1. Floor level. One or two larger pots with a structural plant, such as a clipped bay or a dwarf Pittosporum. Keep this layer sparse so there’s room to stand.
2. Waist height. Wall-mounted troughs, a slim plant stand or a felt pocket planter. This is the handy layer for herbs and salad.
3. Up high. A climber on wires or trellis, and perhaps a hanging basket. This draws the eye up and makes the space feel taller.

For more ways to use walls, see our vertical gardening ideas.

A felt pocket planter turns a bare wall into a herb garden without using any floor space.

Pocket planters dry out fast. Water little and often, or fit a simple drip system along the top.

Plants that earn their place

Every plant in a pocket garden needs to look good for most of the year. Choose by light first, then by year-round value.

Aim for one structural plant, one climber and three to five smaller fillers. That’s plenty. Avoid vigorous climbers such as Russian vine, which will swamp a tiny space in no time. Our guide to the best plants for pots year-round has more ideas.

Repeat plants for a calm look

Repeating a few plants makes a tiny space feel bigger. Lots of different leaf shapes and colours give the eye nowhere to rest, and the space feels cluttered.

Pick three or four kinds of plant and repeat them. Three matching pots of the same grass, or a row of clipped bays, look calm and planned. It’s the same number of plants, but the space feels much more spacious.

Matching pots help too. Choose one material and one or two colours.

Matching pots and a few repeated plants make a small balcony feel calm rather than crowded.

Shade and light-well planting

In a dark light-well, choose shade lovers and paint the walls a pale colour. Pale walls bounce what light there is onto the plants and make the space feel brighter.

Pale walls and shade-loving ferns turn a gloomy light-well into a green little room.

Ferns are the stars here. Soft shield fern and hart’s-tongue fern stay green all year. Add Japanese forest grass, ivy trained on wires and white-flowered busy lizzies for summer. Our guide to north-facing garden ideas has more plants for low light.

Light-wells can flood in a downpour, so keep the floor drain clear of leaves. Stand pots on feet so they don’t sit in water.

Mirrors and light to add depth

A mirror can make a tiny space feel deeper. Use one made for outdoor use, as indoor mirror backing breaks down in the damp.

• Angle it slightly so it reflects plants, not you walking towards it.
• Frame it with a climber so it reads as a window rather than a sheet of glass.
• Keep it out of strong sun, where reflected light can scorch nearby leaves and dazzle you or the neighbours.
• Fix it firmly to the wall, and check the fixings each winter.

An angled mirror framed by jasmine reflects more planting, and the pots stand on feet to keep the slabs dry.

String lights or a couple of low spotlights let you use the space after dark. Warm-white bulbs give a cosy feel.

String lights and a little table turn a tiny courtyard into an evening hideaway.

Furniture that folds away

In a pocket garden, furniture should fold, stack or hang on the wall. A fixed table can take up a big share of the floor.

• Wall-mounted folding table. Flips up for a coffee, folds flat when you need the space.
• Slim bench against the wall. Seats two without blocking the floor.
• Stacking bistro chairs. Store them indoors in winter.
• Bench with storage. A seat and a home for compost, tools and spare pots.

Our outdoor seating ideas cover comfortable heights and sizes.

A slim bench tucked against the wall leaves room for pots and for standing.

Weight and drainage on a balcony

Check with your landlord or building manager before adding heavy pots to a balcony. Wet compost is much heavier than it looks.

• Use lightweight pots, such as fibre-clay, fibreglass or plastic.
• Keep heavy pots against the wall, not out at the edge.
• Stand every pot on pot feet and use drip trays, so water doesn’t pool or run onto the balcony below.
• Fix anything that could blow off, such as hanging baskets and light pots, especially on higher floors.

Many leases say something about balconies, so it’s worth a quick read before you start.

Common pocket garden mistakes

• Filling the floor. Pots everywhere leave nowhere to stand. Plant up the walls instead.
• Too many different plants. It looks cluttered. Repeat a few.
• Heavy pots at a balcony edge. Keep them by the wall and use lightweight containers.
• No drainage. Standing water stains slabs and freezes in winter. Use pot feet and trays.
• A thug of a climber. Pick a restrained evergreen and tie it in.
• Forgetting to water. Small pots dry out fast, sometimes daily in summer. Self-watering pots help.

Pocket garden jobs through the year

For more small-space inspiration, visit our garden design hub.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a pocket garden?

Any planted outdoor space of just a few square metres. That includes a basement light-well, a side return, a doorstep, a tiny courtyard or a small balcony. You can’t spread sideways, so the planting goes up the walls.

How do you make a tiny garden look bigger?

Draw the eye upwards and keep the design simple. Plant up the walls, repeat one or two plants in several pots and keep the floor clear. A mirror angled towards planting can add a sense of depth.

How much weight can a balcony hold?

It varies, so check with your landlord, building manager or a structural engineer. Wet compost and big pots are much heavier than they look. Use lightweight pots and keep heavy ones near the wall, not at the edge.

What plants suit a pocket garden?

Compact evergreens, a restrained climber and herbs work best. Star jasmine, dwarf Pittosporum, a clipped bay and shuttlecock-type ferns are all good. Avoid sprawling plants that flop over the little floor space you have.

Can you grow vegetables in a pocket garden?

Yes, if it gets a few hours of sun. Salad leaves, herbs, tomatoes and climbing beans grow well in pots. Beans and tomatoes go up rather than out, so they take very little floor space.

What is the best plant for a shady light-well?

Ferns are the best choice for deep shade. Soft shield fern stays green all year, and Japanese forest grass brightens a gloomy corner. Paint the walls a pale colour to bounce more light onto the plants.

How do you drain a pocket garden?

Raise pots on feet and use drip trays so water never pools. Keep any floor drain in a light-well clear of leaves. On a balcony, make sure nothing drips onto the flat below.

Ready to green up your walls? Our guide to living walls shows you how to build one that lasts.