Ideas for a Garage Garden

The long narrow area alongside a garage is usually an overlooked spot for a garden and it actually makes a very nice garage garden. Creating a garage garden is easy and will add nicely to your landscaping.

There are many plant choices that can be used for this narrow space to create a garage garden. Tall plants are great leaning up against the side of the garage; medium plants offer more choice in color and texture and so do small plants. Everything depends on what you'd like to see and what requirements this area needs.

Tall Plants for the Garage Garden

The area next to your garage is usually very sunny and open. Two tall plants for this area are hollyhock and globe mallow. I would suggest using only one type of these plants as they create quite a focal point. Both plants need lots of sun and they look great against the side of the garage. If you choose to go with just one color, choose a contrast to the color of your garage so that it stands out nicely.

If yellow is a color that you can use against your garage, a cluster of sunflowers will make a nice display for a garage garden. Keep in mind that many sunflowers are annuals and if you choose the annuals, you'll have to replant them every year. Look for the perennials that will reseed themselves and make a nice garage garden.

Medium Plants for the Garage Garden

There are many garage garden plant choices that would fit the 2-3 ft. tall range. Penstemon, agastache, nepeta, some gaillardia, salvia, shasta daisies, some gaura, some lavender, poppies, some monarda, red hot pokers, some coneflowers, globe thistles, spirea, and some coreopsis. With such a variety, you can plan to mix colors and have a vibrant show of color for your garage garden. All of these plants are perennials, need lots of sun, are drought tolerant, and good for bees and butterflies. Some will attract hummingbirds to your garage garden.

With the vast amount of choices in this group, you could also choose just two or three colors for your garage garden. By mixing them together, you'll get a nice blend that will be attractive. For instance, focusing on purple and red colored plants will give you a nice warm feeling from this garden. Adding a splash of yellow, will bring out the primary colors and make your garage garden brighter.

Small Plants for the Garage Garden

There are many small plants that can be used, however, I would use small plants along with tall or medium plants. A garage garden that is just small plants will not dress up the side of the garage or be too attractive.

I would use either tall or medium plants in the background up against the garage, and then place some smaller plants in front of the tall or medium plants. Small plants include thyme, stonecress, dianthus, some poppies, some penstemon, marguerite daisies, some coneflowers, snapdragons, blue flax, some allium, some salvia, some black-eyed susans, campanula, twinspur, some lavender, some coreopsis, and there's many more.

Ornamental Grasses for the Garage Garden

Have you ever considered ornamental grasses for your garage garden? Ornamental grasses make a very nice garage garden. There are many different grasses available and they come in all sizes. You can line your garage with just one type of ornamental grass, or you can create a mix. Depending on your Zone, you can choose from maiden hair grass, pampas grass, blue avena grass, and many more.

Other Plant Suggestions for the Garage Garden

If you're planting flowers, think about adding something different to the garage garden such as an agave plant or a yucca. Garage gardens are usually narrow spaces, so I'd suggest adding just one or two of these plants. Agaves can be small or medium sized and they look great in the foreground of flowering plants. Many agaves are cold hardy and are not commonly found in gardens, but they make a nice focal point.

You could also have a small rock garden in front of some medium or tall plants. This would add texture to the garden and it looks very nice.

For more ideas, take a drive down your neighborhood streets and see what your neighbors have for garage gardens. You'll get lots of ideas doing this and it'll be easier for you to decide what you'd like to do. The end result is that a garage garden adds to your landscaping and can be quite an attraction.

Source: Personal Experience