17+ Creative Narrow Planting Strip Ideas

Narrow planting strips can be a delightful challenge for any garden enthusiast. With a bit of creativity and the right plant choices, these often-overlooked spaces can become the standout feature of your landscape.

1. Rock Garden

A rock garden with succulents adds texture and interest to this narrow strip.
A rock garden with succulents adds texture and interest to this narrow strip.

Create a rock garden with succulents and alpine plants for a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant solution. It’s perfect for adding interest to a narrow strip.

May just do the trick:

  • Assorted Succulent Plants: Enhance your rock garden with these assorted succulents, perfect for a low-maintenance setup.
  • Decorative Pebbles and Stones: Add texture and interest to your garden with these decorative stones and pebbles.
  • Cactus and Succulent Potting Mix: Ensure optimal growth for your succulents with this specialized potting mix.

2. Colorful Plant Selections

Bright marigolds and petunias create a cheerful atmosphere in this narrow planting strip.
Bright marigolds and petunias create a cheerful atmosphere in this narrow planting strip.

Opt for a mix of brightly colored flowers and foliage to create a visual feast. In my own garden, I love using a combination of marigolds and petunias for a lively pop of color.

Explore these options:

  • Marigold Flower Seeds: Grow vibrant marigolds to add a splash of sunny color to your garden today.
  • Petunia Flower Seeds: Plant petunias for lively blooms, enhancing the beauty and color of your garden space.
  • Colorful Garden Fertilizer: Nourish bright flowers with this fertilizer, ensuring lush growth and extended blooming.

3. Stepable Groundcovers

Creeping thyme provides a lush, stepable surface in this narrow strip.
Creeping thyme provides a lush, stepable surface in this narrow strip.

Use stepable groundcovers like creeping thyme to fill gaps and provide a lush carpet. It’s perfect for areas with light foot traffic.

Possibly helpful picks:

  • Creeping Thyme Seeds: Transform your space with lush, aromatic creeping thyme. Ideal for light foot traffic areas.
  • Stepable Groundcover Seed Mix: Enhance your garden pathways with a hardy, beautiful groundcover mix perfect for stepping.
  • Groundcover Fertilizer: Boost your groundcover growth and health for a vibrant, enduring plant carpet.

4. Artistic Sculptures

Artistic sculptures add a personal touch to this narrow planting strip.
Artistic sculptures add a personal touch to this narrow planting strip.

Add an artistic sculpture or two for a personal touch. I’ve seen small metal sculptures become delightful focal points in narrow strips.

A few choices to try:

  • Small Metal Garden Sculptures: Transform your narrow strip with these elegant metal sculptures, perfect for adding charm and interest.
  • Outdoor Miniature Art Sculptures: Enhance your garden’s appeal with miniature art sculptures, offering beauty and a unique focal point.
  • Decorative Landscape Sculptures: Elevate your outdoor space’s aesthetics with decorative landscape sculptures for a modern and artistic touch.

5. Border Definition

Neat brick edging defines this beautiful narrow planting strip.
Neat brick edging defines this beautiful narrow planting strip.

Use edging materials like bricks or stones to clearly define your planting area. It adds a tidy look and helps keep everything in its place.

Consider these options:

  • Garden Brick Edging: Enhance your garden’s structure with brick edging for a neat and polished look.
  • Decorative Stone Edging: Add a natural touch with decorative stones to define your garden borders elegantly.
  • Interlocking Garden Edging: Create a seamless garden edge with easy-to-install interlocking border pieces.

6. Miniature Trees

A dwarf Japanese maple adds elegance to this narrow planting strip.
A dwarf Japanese maple adds elegance to this narrow planting strip.

Introduce miniature trees for a surprising twist. Dwarf Japanese maples can add elegance and height without overwhelming the space.

You might like:

  • Dwarf Japanese Maple Tree: Transform your narrow planting strip with elegant dwarf Japanese maples for a stylish height addition.
  • Tree Fertilizer Spikes: Boost your mini tree health with easy-to-use fertilizer spikes for vibrant growth all season.
  • Decorative Garden Edging: Enhance your garden’s aesthetics with durable, decorative edging for a polished look.

7. Water Feature

A small water fountain adds a calming element to this narrow planting strip.
A small water fountain adds a calming element to this narrow planting strip.

Incorporate a small water feature for a soothing touch. Even a tiny fountain can transform a narrow strip into a calming oasis.

These products might help:

  • Compact Garden Fountain: Add tranquility to your garden strip with a compact fountain that soothes with gentle water sounds.
  • Solar Powered Water Pump Kit: Enhance your narrow garden area with an eco-friendly solar pump, ideal for small water features.
  • Decorative Pebbles for Water Features: Complete your garden water feature with decorative pebbles, adding a natural and elegant touch.

8. Contrasting Colors

Contrasting salvia and coreopsis make this narrow strip stand out.
Contrasting salvia and coreopsis make this narrow strip stand out.

Use contrasting plant colors to make your strip pop. A client once paired deep purple salvia with bright yellow coreopsis, and it was a showstopper.

Try these:

  • Purple Salvia Seeds or Plants: Transform your garden with vibrant purple salvia. Add rich, bold colors effortlessly.
  • Yellow Coreopsis Seeds or Plants: Brighten your landscape with stunning yellow coreopsis. Bring sunshine to your outdoor space.
  • Garden Hand Trowel: Simplify your planting process with a reliable hand trowel. Perfect for precise gardening tasks.

9. Low Maintenance Options

This narrow strip thrives with a variety of low-maintenance succulents.
This narrow strip thrives with a variety of low-maintenance succulents.

Choose plants that require minimal care, perfect for narrow spaces. Succulents often work wonders with little fuss, and I’ve seen them thrive in challenging spots.

A few suggestions:

  • Succulent Plant Pack: Enhance your narrow strip with a variety of easy-care succulents, perfect for minimal maintenance.
  • Cactus Potting Mix: Ensure optimal growth with specialized potting soil designed for succulents and cacti.
  • Decorative Pebbles for Garden: Add aesthetic flair and improve drainage in your planting strip with decorative garden pebbles.

10. Pathway Integration

Lavender borders beautifully complement the pathway in this narrow strip.
Lavender borders beautifully complement the pathway in this narrow strip.

Plantings that complement and border walkways can enhance the overall aesthetic without obstructing the path. I love how lavender borders keep everything looking tidy.

A few helpful options:

  • Lavender Seeds Pack: Plant lavender for a fragrant, lush border that elevates your walkway’s charm and tranquility.
  • Garden Edging Kit: Define your pathways neatly with a weather-resistant edging kit that complements any garden style.
  • Solar Garden Lights: Illuminate your pathway at night with elegant solar lights for enhanced safety and ambiance.

11. Mix of Textures

A delightful mix of textures is achieved by combining grasses and hostas.
A delightful mix of textures is achieved by combining grasses and hostas.

Combining different plant textures can enhance visual appeal and keep things interesting. I love mixing feathery grasses with broad-leafed hostas.

Give these a look:

  • Feather Reed Grass Seeds: Create dynamic movement with feathery grasses. Easy to plant and perfect for textural contrast.
  • Hosta Plants: Add lush greenery with broad-leafed hostas. Ideal for shade and texture in any garden.
  • Garden Soil Mix for Perennials: Enhance plant growth with nutrient-rich soil, perfect for your diverse textured plantings.

12. Seasonal Interest

Evergreen foliage and seasonal blooms ensure year-round beauty.
Evergreen foliage and seasonal blooms ensure year-round beauty.

Include plants that offer year-round interest, such as evergreen foliage or seasonal blooms. I personally adore hellebores for their winter charm.

Possibly handy products:

  • Evergreen Shrubs: Enhance your garden with lush evergreen shrubs for year-round foliage and texture.
  • Hellebore Plants: Plant hellebores to enjoy charming winter blooms and vibrant garden interest.
  • Garden Pathway Lights: Illuminate your garden path with elegant lights for added nighttime appeal.

13. Edible Plants

Edible herbs like thyme and oregano add practicality to this strip.
Edible herbs like thyme and oregano add practicality to this strip.

Why not add some edible plants to your strip? I’ve had great success with herbs like thyme and oregano, which are both beautiful and practical.

A few relevant products:

  • Thyme Seeds for Planting: Grow fresh thyme at home; perfect for adding flavor and beauty to your garden.
  • Oregano Starter Plants: Start your own oregano garden with these strong, healthy starter plants for easy gardening.
  • Raised Garden Bed Kit: Ideal for creating a neat, organized planting strip to cultivate your herbs effortlessly.

14. Dense Planting

A lush, densely planted narrow strip bursting with layers of greenery and flowers.
A lush, densely planted narrow strip bursting with layers of greenery and flowers.

Pack your narrow strip with a variety of plants to make the most of the space. I often advise my clients to layer plants for a dense, lush appearance.

Maybe worth checking out:

  • Perennial Flower Seed Mix: Enhance your garden’s beauty with this vibrant perennial flower mix for continuous color all year.
  • Vertical Planter for Small Spaces: Maximize your narrow strip with a vertical planter, ideal for layering a variety of plants.
  • Compact Shrub Starter Kit: Fill your narrow space with lush shrubs using this easy-to-grow shrub starter kit.

15. Use of Shrubs and Perennials

Boxwoods and perennials provide year-round structure in this narrow planting strip.
Boxwoods and perennials provide year-round structure in this narrow planting strip.

Incorporating shrubs and perennials can provide sustainability and continuous growth. I often recommend boxwoods for their compact and evergreen qualities.

Might be a good match:

  • Boxwood Shrubs: Enhance your garden’s structure with compact evergreen boxwoods for year-round greenery.
  • Lavender Plants: Introduce delightful fragrance and color to your garden with easy-to-care lavender plants.
  • Coneflower Perennials: Attract butterflies with vibrant coneflowers while adding dynamic color to your garden.

16. Wildflower Delight

A variety of wildflowers create a meadow-like feel in this narrow strip.
A variety of wildflowers create a meadow-like feel in this narrow strip.

Fill your strip with a mix of wildflowers for a natural, carefree look. I love how they create a meadow feel, even in the smallest spaces.

Some handy options:

  • Wildflower Seed Mix: Transform your strip with vibrant colors; plant a variety of easy-to-grow wildflowers today.
  • Garden Soil: Ensure healthy growth and vibrant blooms with nutrient-rich garden soil perfect for wildflowers.
  • Watering Can: Make watering easy and efficient; keep your wildflower strip flourishing with a sturdy watering can.

17. Vertical Interest

Climbing roses bring vertical interest to this narrow planting strip.
Climbing roses bring vertical interest to this narrow planting strip.

Incorporate taller plants or trellises to add height and dimension. A client of mine created an amazing effect with climbing roses on a narrow strip trellis.

Some ideas to consider:

  • Adjustable Garden Trellis: Transform your garden with a versatile trellis, perfect for climbing roses and added height.
  • Climbing Rose Starter Kit: Kickstart your garden with a climbing rose kit, ideal for narrow planting strips.
  • Vertical Planter Supports: Enhance vertical growth in tight spaces with sturdy planter supports for climbing plants.

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Text: Joyce Peterson