Stacy Tornio has authored more than 15 books about animals, nature, and gardening. She is a master gardener and master naturalist.

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Just because you have a small space doesn’t mean you can’t have a great garden. By using containers with clever, efficient designs, you’ll have lots of growing options, whether you’re into veggies, herbs, flowers, or all of the above. 

With gardening in small spaces, it really is important to make the most out of every inch. Often, this means growing up and in layers as much as possible. There are definite benefits to this. By planting in a small space, especially vertically, it creates a really gorgeous aesthetic. You’re able to create your own little secret garden without spending a fortune or taking up a lot of time. In fact with the right containers, you can probably have a pretty amazing setup in a single weekend.

Read on for the best containers for small gardens.

You’ll gain so much growing space with this raised garden bed, giving you four separate planter boxes to work with. The bottom of the box (almost six square feet) is open, allowing you to grow directly in an existing garden or create a new space on a deck or patio. This option is especially handy if you tend to have issues with ground pests. Then with the other three boxes, the entire piece stands 57 inches tall. The planter is made from fir wood and has eco-friendly brown paint. It also comes with four garden liners, which will extend the life of the wood. It’s a piece you’ll have in your garden for many years to come.

You’ll love growing flowers or herbs in this stackable container. It comes as a five-tiered system, with each tier having three planting pots—so 15 planting spots total and black liner pots are included. Each one is 12.5 inches wide, and when fully stacked, it’s 24 inches tall. The pots look like terra cotta but are more lightweight, made from a food-safe polypropylene plastic that is also heat-resistant. You can leave the planter sitting or hang it with the included materials. You really get a lot of bang for your buck for this one.

Store your supplies, grow some plants, and move it around as much as you need with this planter box on wheels. The ergonomic design eliminates a lot of need for bending or kneeling. The cart is made from galvanized steel, which includes an anti-rust coating. The middle of the cart has a drainage hole and water line to keep it from clogging up. Since it’s on wheels, this unit is easy to use both indoors or out. It would be perfect to use for starting seeds, and then just move it outside when you’re ready.

All hanging baskets are going to be good space-savers, and these are unique as well. Made by hand in California, these are solid steel baskets with extra deep planting areas. This means your soil and plants won’t try out all the time, so less watering overall! You’ll find multiple size options, ranging from 11 inches to 28 inches. You might spend more for a unique, quality hanging basket like this, but it’ll be well worth it in the long run—both for conserving water and the overall longevity of the planter. By the way, this company also makes a great little hanging terrarium, which is worth checking out here.

For those who need something that is completely free standing, this tiered planter is perfect. You’ll get five levels total, which are all detachable to allow you to plant, move things around, and drain water as needed. The frame of this unit is made from steel-coated iron metal that is rustproof and water-resistant. This is actually a really popular design and some places even have it in colors—like this teal one available here. It will definitely help you maximize a porch, patio, or deck space.

Love self-watering so you don’t have to think about it all the time. This one is perfect for you. This container is approximately 32 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 30 inches tall. Plus there’s a shelf along the bottom for storage. The unit comes with a built-in water gauge that will tell you when your plants are in need, thanks to the water reservoir system. It comes with a seed-sprouting tray, so it’s perfect to get started growing in spring. It’s perfect for veggies, herbs, or flowers.

Here’s another self-watering container, and this one is on wheels. The 2-gallon watering system along the bottom of the planter will keep your plants evenly watered for days. Since it’s on casters, you can roll this around as needed, which can especially come in handy if you don’t have a lot of sun and need to move things around. You can feel good knowing the piece is made from a resin that is long-lasting, food-safe, and chemically inactive. It’s perfect for a patio veggie garden or herbs.

There are a lot of tower systems on the market, and this one is truly one of the best because it doubles as a composting unit. Once it’s all together (it’ll sit at 25 inches wide and 44 inches tall), you’ll be able to grow up to 50 plants in a single place. Then there’s a vertical compost tube, which you can use to add kitchen scraps throughout the season. You’ll want to add about half a cup of worms to the unit as well. Since this container is also a vermicomposting design, the worms are the ones that will do the work to turn your scraps into nutrient-rich soil. What a cool way to get more out of your space and have less waste!

Made from environmentally-friendly felt cloth, this pocket planter is easy to install on any fence or wall. The planter is nearly 12 inches wide and 45 inches long, and the pockets are extra deep to hold plants better. The back is waterproof, and the entire thing is UV resistant. This planter is the perfect way to truly turn any surface into a growing area.

The Aivituvin Vertical Raised Garden Bed (view at Amazon) is both beautiful and resourceful, adding a lot more growing space to your backyard, deck, or patio. Then for a container that doubles as a garden cart, check out the FOYUEE Raised Planter Box (view at Amazon). It’s the perfect solution for gardening both inside and out.

Treehugger wants to help you make the most of your gardening space, no matter how big or small it is. The author, Stacy Tornio, lives in an urban bungalow in Wisconsin, so she knows how to make the most out of a small space. She’s been gardening since she was a kid and writing about plants for 15+ years.

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