Tall plants are the unsung heroes of garden design. They create structure, draw the eye upward, and transform flat landscapes into dynamic, multi-dimensional spaces. Whether you're working with a small urban garden or a sprawling country estate, incorporating tall plants into your design can elevate the overall aesthetic, adding drama, depth, and a sense of grandeur that shorter plants simply can't achieve. From creating natural privacy screens to serving as focal points, tall plants offer endless possibilities for crafting a garden that's both beautiful and functional.The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.
Popular Tall Ornamental Grasses
Miscanthus: Adding Graceful Movement to Your Garden
Miscanthus, with its tall, arching stems and feathery plumes, brings a sense of grace and movement to the garden. This ornamental grass sways gently in the breeze, adding a dynamic element that catches the light and dances with the wind. Miscanthus is not only beautiful but also versatile, thriving in a range of conditions and requiring minimal maintenance, making it a favorite among gardeners.
Pampas Grass: Making a Bold Statement with Plumes
If you're looking to make a bold statement, pampas grass is the way to go. Its towering plumes of silvery-white or pink flowers can reach up to 10 feet in height, creating a dramatic focal point in any garden. Pampas grass is particularly effective when planted in groups, where its striking height and texture can dominate the landscape. However, it’s important to give it plenty of space, as this grass can spread and take over if not managed properly.
Feather Reed Grass: Sleek and Sophisticated Vertical Interest
Feather reed grass is a sleek and sophisticated choice for adding vertical interest to your garden. With its tall, slender stems and elegant seed heads, this grass creates a refined, architectural element that works well in both formal and informal settings. Its upright habit and narrow footprint make it ideal for small spaces, where it can add height without encroaching on neighboring plants.
Tall Flowering Perennials for Color and Structure
Delphiniums: Towering Spires of Blue and Purple
Delphiniums are the quintessential tall flowering perennial, known for their towering spires of vibrant blue, purple, and white flowers. These plants add a majestic touch to any garden, reaching heights of up to 6 feet or more. Delphiniums are perfect for creating a vertical accent in borders or as a backdrop for shorter plants. They also attract pollinators, which bring life and movement to your garden.
Hollyhocks: Old-Fashioned Charm with Impressive Height
Hollyhocks bring a touch of old-fashioned charm to the garden with their tall, stately stalks covered in large, saucer-shaped flowers. Reaching heights of up to 8 feet, hollyhocks are ideal for cottage gardens or as a colorful screen against a fence or wall. These biennials are easy to grow and come in a variety of colors, making them a versatile choice for adding height and color to your garden.
Joe Pye Weed: Attracting Pollinators with Tall Blooms
Joe Pye weed is a native perennial that combines height with ecological benefits. Its tall, sturdy stems are topped with clusters of pink or purple flowers that attract a wide range of pollinators, including butterflies and bees. Joe Pye weed can grow up to 7 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for naturalistic gardens or wildflower meadows. It’s also easy to grow, thriving in moist, well-drained soils.
Tall Shrubs for a Structured Garden Look
Hydrangeas: Big Blooms on Sturdy Stems
Hydrangeas are beloved for their large, showy blooms and sturdy stems, which add both height and structure to the garden. These versatile shrubs can grow up to 6 feet tall, with flowers that range from white to pink to blue, depending on the soil pH. Hydrangeas are perfect for creating a focal point in the garden, and their long blooming season ensures that they provide color and interest throughout the summer and fall.
Viburnum: Versatile Shrubs with Year-Round Interest
Viburnum is a versatile shrub that offers year-round interest, with showy flowers in spring, lush foliage in summer, colorful berries in fall, and attractive branching in winter. These shrubs can reach heights of 8 to 10 feet, making them ideal for adding height and structure to the garden. Viburnum is also incredibly adaptable, thriving in a variety of soil types and light conditions, making it a reliable choice for any garden.
Butterfly Bush: Height and Color to Attract Wildlife
The butterfly bush is a tall, flowering shrub that lives up to its name, attracting butterflies and other pollinators with its fragrant, nectar-rich blooms. This shrub can grow up to 8 feet tall and produces long spikes of flowers in shades of purple, pink, white, or yellow. The butterfly bush is perfect for adding height and color to borders, and its fast growth makes it an excellent choice for filling in gaps in the garden.
Trees for Adding Vertical Presence in Small Gardens
Columnar Trees: Tall, Slim Choices for Tight Spaces
Columnar trees are an excellent option for small gardens, offering height without the spread. These trees grow upright, with a narrow profile that fits neatly into tight spaces. Varieties like the columnar apple tree or the Lombardy poplar provide vertical interest and can even be used to create living screens or windbreaks. Their tall, slender form also makes them ideal for flanking entrances or lining pathways, adding structure without overwhelming the space.
Dwarf Conifers: Compact Trees with Vertical Appeal
Dwarf conifers are another great choice for adding vertical presence in small gardens. These trees offer the height and structure of their larger counterparts but in a more compact form. Varieties like the dwarf Alberta spruce or the Hinoki cypress can grow up to 10 feet tall, providing a striking focal point in the garden without taking up too much space. Dwarf conifers also offer year-round interest with their evergreen foliage, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
Japanese Maples: Elegant Height with Seasonal Beauty
Japanese maples are known for their elegant form and stunning seasonal color. These small trees can reach heights of 15 to 25 feet, depending on the variety, and their delicate, lacy foliage adds a touch of grace to any garden. Japanese maples are particularly well-suited to small gardens, where their compact size and striking appearance can be fully appreciated. Whether planted as a focal point or in a container, Japanese maples provide vertical interest and beauty throughout the year.
Tall Plants for Privacy and Screening
Bamboo: Fast-Growing and Evergreen Screening Options
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, making it an excellent choice for creating a quick and effective privacy screen. With some varieties reaching heights of up to 40 feet, bamboo can provide instant height and coverage. It’s also evergreen, meaning it will provide privacy and greenery year-round. However, it’s important to choose clumping varieties of bamboo to avoid the invasive spread that can come with running types.
Arborvitae: Dense Greenery for Year-Round Privacy
Arborvitae is a popular choice for creating tall, dense hedges that provide year-round privacy. These evergreen shrubs can grow up to 20 feet tall and form a thick, impenetrable barrier that’s perfect for screening off unsightly views or creating a secluded garden space. Arborvitae is also low-maintenance, requiring only occasional pruning to maintain its shape and height.
Leyland Cypress: A Classic Choice for Tall, Green Walls
Leyland cypress is a classic choice for creating tall, green walls in the garden. This fast-growing evergreen tree can reach heights of up to 50 feet, making it ideal for creating a high screen or windbreak. Leyland cypress is also relatively low-maintenance, with dense, feathery foliage that requires little pruning to maintain its shape. It’s a great option for those looking to create a tall, lush barrier in a short amount of time.
Tall Plants for Edible Gardens
Sunflowers: Tall and Tasty with Seeds for Snacking
Sunflowers are a quintessential tall plant for the edible garden, known for their towering height and cheerful yellow blooms. These plants can reach heights of up to 10 feet or more, creating a stunning display in the garden. Sunflowers are also edible, with their seeds providing a tasty and nutritious snack. They’re easy to grow and attract pollinators, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
Corn: A Garden Staple That Reaches New Heights
Corn is a garden staple that adds both height and productivity to the edible garden. These tall plants can reach up to 8 feet in height and produce delicious, sweet ears of corn that are a summer favorite. Corn is also a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways, from fresh eating to preserving for later use. It’s an excellent choice for adding height and structure to the vegetable garden.
Jerusalem Artichokes: Edible Tubers with Tall Stalks
Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, are a unique and tall addition to the edible garden. These plants can grow up to 10 feet tall and produce edible tubers that are rich in nutrients. Jerusalem artichokes are easy to grow and require little maintenance, making them a great choice for gardeners looking to add height and a unique crop to their garden.
Tall Plants for Water Gardens
Cattails: Vertical Interest at the Water’s Edge
Cattails are a classic choice for adding vertical interest to water gardens. These tall, reed-like plants can grow up to 10 feet tall and are perfect for planting at the edges of ponds, lakes, or marshy areas. Cattails provide habitat for wildlife and add a natural, wild look to the water garden. Their distinctive brown seed heads also add texture and interest throughout the year.
Giant Papyrus: Tropical Height for Pondside Planting
Giant papyrus is a striking plant that adds a touch of the tropics to water gardens. With its tall, slender stems and feathery umbels, the giant papyrus can reach heights of up to 15 feet, creating a dramatic focal point near the water’s edge. This plant thrives in wet conditions and is perfect for adding height and a sense of exotic flair to ponds and water features.
Water Iris: Tall, Elegant Blooms for Wet Areas
Water iris is a tall, elegant plant that adds color and height to water gardens. These plants can grow up to 4 feet tall and produce stunning flowers in shades of blue, purple, yellow, and white. Water iris thrives in wet conditions, making it ideal for planting in or near ponds, streams, or boggy areas. The tall, sword-like leaves also add structure and vertical interest, even when the plant is not in bloom.
Tall Plants for Shade Gardens
Foxglove: Spires of Flowers in Shaded Spots
Foxglove is a tall, flowering plant that thrives in shaded spots, adding height and color to areas where many other plants struggle. These plants can grow up to 6 feet tall and produce spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow. Foxglove is perfect for adding vertical interest to shaded borders or woodland gardens, and its flowers are a favorite of bees and other pollinators.
Hostas: Tall Flower Stalks with Lush Foliage
Hostas are a staple of shade gardens, known for their lush foliage and tall flower stalks. While hostas are often grown for their leaves, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, their tall flower spikes add vertical interest to the garden. These flower stalks can reach up to 3 feet tall, creating a striking contrast with the low-growing foliage. Hostas are also easy to grow and thrive in shaded conditions, making them a reliable choice for adding height to shade gardens.
Rodgersia: Large Leaves and Height for Shady Spaces
Rodgersia is a shade-loving plant that adds both height and texture to the garden. These plants can grow up to 6 feet tall, with large, palmate leaves that create a bold, architectural presence. Rodgersia also produces tall flower spikes in shades of white, pink, or red, adding a splash of color to the garden. This plant is perfect for adding height and drama to shaded borders or woodland gardens, and its large leaves provide a lush, tropical look.
Tropical Tall Plants for Exotic Flair
Banana Plants: Instant Height with a Tropical Vibe
Banana plants are the epitome of tropical flair, adding instant height and a lush, exotic vibe to the garden. These plants can grow up to 20 feet tall, with large, paddle-shaped leaves that create a dramatic, jungle-like atmosphere. While banana plants are typically grown for foliage, some varieties produce edible fruit. They’re perfect for creating a tropical oasis in the garden, especially in warm climates.
Bird of Paradise: Striking Structure and Vibrant Flowers
Bird of Paradise is a tropical plant that combines striking structure with vibrant flowers. This plant can grow up to 6 feet tall, with large, banana-like leaves and unique, bird-shaped flowers in shades of orange, blue, and white. Bird of Paradise adds height and a touch of the exotic to the garden, and its bold flowers make it a focal point in any planting scheme. It’s particularly well-suited to warm, sunny locations where it can thrive.
Giant Elephant Ears: Dramatic Foliage for Height and Texture
Giant elephant ears are known for their enormous leaves, which can grow up to 3 feet across, creating a bold, dramatic effect in the garden. These plants can reach heights of up to 8 feet, making them a standout feature in tropical or subtropical gardens. The large, heart-shaped leaves of giant elephant ears add height, texture, and a sense of the exotic, making them perfect for creating a lush, jungle-like atmosphere.
Incorporating tall plants into your garden design is a surefire way to elevate your outdoor space's overall structure and appeal. Tall plants offer endless possibilities, whether you're looking to create dramatic focal points, provide natural privacy, attract wildlife, or simply add vertical interest. By carefully selecting the right tall plants for your garden's conditions and design goals, you can create a landscape that is not only beautiful but also functional and dynamic. With the right care and maintenance, these towering beauties will continue to enhance your garden for years to come.
Popular Tall Ornamental Grasses
Miscanthus: Adding Graceful Movement to Your Garden
Miscanthus, with its tall, arching stems and feathery plumes, brings a sense of grace and movement to the garden. This ornamental grass sways gently in the breeze, adding a dynamic element that catches the light and dances with the wind. Miscanthus is not only beautiful but also versatile, thriving in a range of conditions and requiring minimal maintenance, making it a favorite among gardeners.
Pampas Grass: Making a Bold Statement with Plumes
If you're looking to make a bold statement, pampas grass is the way to go. Its towering plumes of silvery-white or pink flowers can reach up to 10 feet in height, creating a dramatic focal point in any garden. Pampas grass is particularly effective when planted in groups, where its striking height and texture can dominate the landscape. However, it’s important to give it plenty of space, as this grass can spread and take over if not managed properly.
Feather Reed Grass: Sleek and Sophisticated Vertical Interest
Feather reed grass is a sleek and sophisticated choice for adding vertical interest to your garden. With its tall, slender stems and elegant seed heads, this grass creates a refined, architectural element that works well in both formal and informal settings. Its upright habit and narrow footprint make it ideal for small spaces, where it can add height without encroaching on neighboring plants.
Delphiniums: Towering Spires of Blue and Purple
Delphiniums are the quintessential tall flowering perennial, known for their towering spires of vibrant blue, purple, and white flowers. These plants add a majestic touch to any garden, reaching heights of up to 6 feet or more. Delphiniums are perfect for creating a vertical accent in borders or as a backdrop for shorter plants. They also attract pollinators, which bring life and movement to your garden.
Hollyhocks: Old-Fashioned Charm with Impressive Height
Hollyhocks bring a touch of old-fashioned charm to the garden with their tall, stately stalks covered in large, saucer-shaped flowers. Reaching heights of up to 8 feet, hollyhocks are ideal for cottage gardens or as a colorful screen against a fence or wall. These biennials are easy to grow and come in a variety of colors, making them a versatile choice for adding height and color to your garden.
Joe Pye Weed: Attracting Pollinators with Tall Blooms
Joe Pye weed is a native perennial that combines height with ecological benefits. Its tall, sturdy stems are topped with clusters of pink or purple flowers that attract a wide range of pollinators, including butterflies and bees. Joe Pye weed can grow up to 7 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for naturalistic gardens or wildflower meadows. It’s also easy to grow, thriving in moist, well-drained soils.
Tall Shrubs for a Structured Garden Look
Hydrangeas: Big Blooms on Sturdy Stems
Hydrangeas are beloved for their large, showy blooms and sturdy stems, which add both height and structure to the garden. These versatile shrubs can grow up to 6 feet tall, with flowers that range from white to pink to blue, depending on the soil pH. Hydrangeas are perfect for creating a focal point in the garden, and their long blooming season ensures that they provide color and interest throughout the summer and fall.
Viburnum: Versatile Shrubs with Year-Round Interest
Viburnum is a versatile shrub that offers year-round interest, with showy flowers in spring, lush foliage in summer, colorful berries in fall, and attractive branching in winter. These shrubs can reach heights of 8 to 10 feet, making them ideal for adding height and structure to the garden. Viburnum is also incredibly adaptable, thriving in a variety of soil types and light conditions, making it a reliable choice for any garden.
Butterfly Bush: Height and Color to Attract Wildlife
The butterfly bush is a tall, flowering shrub that lives up to its name, attracting butterflies and other pollinators with its fragrant, nectar-rich blooms. This shrub can grow up to 8 feet tall and produces long spikes of flowers in shades of purple, pink, white, or yellow. The butterfly bush is perfect for adding height and color to borders, and its fast growth makes it an excellent choice for filling in gaps in the garden.
Trees for Adding Vertical Presence in Small Gardens
Columnar Trees: Tall, Slim Choices for Tight Spaces
Columnar trees are an excellent option for small gardens, offering height without the spread. These trees grow upright, with a narrow profile that fits neatly into tight spaces. Varieties like the columnar apple tree or the Lombardy poplar provide vertical interest and can even be used to create living screens or windbreaks. Their tall, slender form also makes them ideal for flanking entrances or lining pathways, adding structure without overwhelming the space.
Dwarf Conifers: Compact Trees with Vertical Appeal
Dwarf conifers are another great choice for adding vertical presence in small gardens. These trees offer the height and structure of their larger counterparts but in a more compact form. Varieties like the dwarf Alberta spruce or the Hinoki cypress can grow up to 10 feet tall, providing a striking focal point in the garden without taking up too much space. Dwarf conifers also offer year-round interest with their evergreen foliage, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
Japanese Maples: Elegant Height with Seasonal Beauty
Japanese maples are known for their elegant form and stunning seasonal color. These small trees can reach heights of 15 to 25 feet, depending on the variety, and their delicate, lacy foliage adds a touch of grace to any garden. Japanese maples are particularly well-suited to small gardens, where their compact size and striking appearance can be fully appreciated. Whether planted as a focal point or in a container, Japanese maples provide vertical interest and beauty throughout the year.
Tall Plants for Privacy and Screening
Bamboo: Fast-Growing and Evergreen Screening Options
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, making it an excellent choice for creating a quick and effective privacy screen. With some varieties reaching heights of up to 40 feet, bamboo can provide instant height and coverage. It’s also evergreen, meaning it will provide privacy and greenery year-round. However, it’s important to choose clumping varieties of bamboo to avoid the invasive spread that can come with running types.
Arborvitae: Dense Greenery for Year-Round Privacy
Arborvitae is a popular choice for creating tall, dense hedges that provide year-round privacy. These evergreen shrubs can grow up to 20 feet tall and form a thick, impenetrable barrier that’s perfect for screening off unsightly views or creating a secluded garden space. Arborvitae is also low-maintenance, requiring only occasional pruning to maintain its shape and height.
Leyland Cypress: A Classic Choice for Tall, Green Walls
Leyland cypress is a classic choice for creating tall, green walls in the garden. This fast-growing evergreen tree can reach heights of up to 50 feet, making it ideal for creating a high screen or windbreak. Leyland cypress is also relatively low-maintenance, with dense, feathery foliage that requires little pruning to maintain its shape. It’s a great option for those looking to create a tall, lush barrier in a short amount of time.
Sunflowers: Tall and Tasty with Seeds for Snacking
Sunflowers are a quintessential tall plant for the edible garden, known for their towering height and cheerful yellow blooms. These plants can reach heights of up to 10 feet or more, creating a stunning display in the garden. Sunflowers are also edible, with their seeds providing a tasty and nutritious snack. They’re easy to grow and attract pollinators, making them a valuable addition to any garden.
Corn: A Garden Staple That Reaches New Heights
Corn is a garden staple that adds both height and productivity to the edible garden. These tall plants can reach up to 8 feet in height and produce delicious, sweet ears of corn that are a summer favorite. Corn is also a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways, from fresh eating to preserving for later use. It’s an excellent choice for adding height and structure to the vegetable garden.
Jerusalem Artichokes: Edible Tubers with Tall Stalks
Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, are a unique and tall addition to the edible garden. These plants can grow up to 10 feet tall and produce edible tubers that are rich in nutrients. Jerusalem artichokes are easy to grow and require little maintenance, making them a great choice for gardeners looking to add height and a unique crop to their garden.
Tall Plants for Water Gardens
Cattails: Vertical Interest at the Water’s Edge
Cattails are a classic choice for adding vertical interest to water gardens. These tall, reed-like plants can grow up to 10 feet tall and are perfect for planting at the edges of ponds, lakes, or marshy areas. Cattails provide habitat for wildlife and add a natural, wild look to the water garden. Their distinctive brown seed heads also add texture and interest throughout the year.
Giant Papyrus: Tropical Height for Pondside Planting
Giant papyrus is a striking plant that adds a touch of the tropics to water gardens. With its tall, slender stems and feathery umbels, the giant papyrus can reach heights of up to 15 feet, creating a dramatic focal point near the water’s edge. This plant thrives in wet conditions and is perfect for adding height and a sense of exotic flair to ponds and water features.
Water Iris: Tall, Elegant Blooms for Wet Areas
Water iris is a tall, elegant plant that adds color and height to water gardens. These plants can grow up to 4 feet tall and produce stunning flowers in shades of blue, purple, yellow, and white. Water iris thrives in wet conditions, making it ideal for planting in or near ponds, streams, or boggy areas. The tall, sword-like leaves also add structure and vertical interest, even when the plant is not in bloom.
Tall Plants for Shade Gardens
Foxglove: Spires of Flowers in Shaded Spots
Foxglove is a tall, flowering plant that thrives in shaded spots, adding height and color to areas where many other plants struggle. These plants can grow up to 6 feet tall and produce spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow. Foxglove is perfect for adding vertical interest to shaded borders or woodland gardens, and its flowers are a favorite of bees and other pollinators.
Hostas: Tall Flower Stalks with Lush Foliage
Hostas are a staple of shade gardens, known for their lush foliage and tall flower stalks. While hostas are often grown for their leaves, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, their tall flower spikes add vertical interest to the garden. These flower stalks can reach up to 3 feet tall, creating a striking contrast with the low-growing foliage. Hostas are also easy to grow and thrive in shaded conditions, making them a reliable choice for adding height to shade gardens.
Rodgersia: Large Leaves and Height for Shady Spaces
Rodgersia is a shade-loving plant that adds both height and texture to the garden. These plants can grow up to 6 feet tall, with large, palmate leaves that create a bold, architectural presence. Rodgersia also produces tall flower spikes in shades of white, pink, or red, adding a splash of color to the garden. This plant is perfect for adding height and drama to shaded borders or woodland gardens, and its large leaves provide a lush, tropical look.
Banana Plants: Instant Height with a Tropical Vibe
Banana plants are the epitome of tropical flair, adding instant height and a lush, exotic vibe to the garden. These plants can grow up to 20 feet tall, with large, paddle-shaped leaves that create a dramatic, jungle-like atmosphere. While banana plants are typically grown for foliage, some varieties produce edible fruit. They’re perfect for creating a tropical oasis in the garden, especially in warm climates.
Bird of Paradise: Striking Structure and Vibrant Flowers
Bird of Paradise is a tropical plant that combines striking structure with vibrant flowers. This plant can grow up to 6 feet tall, with large, banana-like leaves and unique, bird-shaped flowers in shades of orange, blue, and white. Bird of Paradise adds height and a touch of the exotic to the garden, and its bold flowers make it a focal point in any planting scheme. It’s particularly well-suited to warm, sunny locations where it can thrive.
Giant Elephant Ears: Dramatic Foliage for Height and Texture
Giant elephant ears are known for their enormous leaves, which can grow up to 3 feet across, creating a bold, dramatic effect in the garden. These plants can reach heights of up to 8 feet, making them a standout feature in tropical or subtropical gardens. The large, heart-shaped leaves of giant elephant ears add height, texture, and a sense of the exotic, making them perfect for creating a lush, jungle-like atmosphere.
Incorporating tall plants into your garden design is a surefire way to elevate your outdoor space's overall structure and appeal. Tall plants offer endless possibilities, whether you're looking to create dramatic focal points, provide natural privacy, attract wildlife, or simply add vertical interest. By carefully selecting the right tall plants for your garden's conditions and design goals, you can create a landscape that is not only beautiful but also functional and dynamic. With the right care and maintenance, these towering beauties will continue to enhance your garden for years to come.
