When you have empty or bare areas in your garden, it can make the space feel sparse and unfinished. Filling in those gaps is an easy way to create a lush, full garden. There are many options for plants that can quickly fill space, provide color and texture, and complement the existing plants in your landscape.
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Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to common questions about filling empty spaces in the garden:
What are some fast growing annuals that fill space?
Zinnias, marigolds, petunias, and cosmos are some of the fastest growing annuals that can fill empty spots in flower beds and containers. They germinate and grow rapidly, flowering all season long.
What perennials spread quickly?
Some perennials that spread relatively fast include daylilies, Russian sage, bee balm, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses like maiden grass.
What vines are good for covering bare walls and fences?
Fast growing annual vines like morning glories, moonflowers, and hyacinth bean vines can quickly cover blank spaces. Perennial climbing vines like clematis, honeysuckle, and jasmine also work well.
What are the best shade loving plants for filling in gaps?
Hostas, astilbes, coral bells, brunnera, and ferns are excellent choices for planting in shady bare spots. They spread and increase in size rapidly.
Annuals that Fill Space
Using fast growing annual flowers is one of the quickest ways to fill empty patches in your garden beds or containers. Here are some top options:
Zinnias
Zinnias are incredibly easy to grow from seed and germinate in just 5-7 days. They reach 1-3 feet tall and at least as wide within a couple months. Their bright, bold colors like red, orange, pink, yellow, white and purple enliven any empty spaces. Some zinnia varieties to try are Zahara, California Giant, Magellan and Benary’s Giant.
Marigolds
With their cheery yellow and orange blossoms, marigolds are excellent filler plants. French marigolds are smaller, reaching 6-12 inches tall, while African marigolds can grow over 2 feet tall. Marigolds bloom heavily throughout the season. Plant them in full sun.
Petunias
Petunias are popular annuals that bloom from spring to fall. They come in a huge range of solid and bicolored flowers. Grow spreading varieties in hanging baskets or as groundcovers. Upright types add height in the back of beds. Petunias grow 6-36 inches tall.
Cosmos
Cosmos grow quickly from seed and bloom 8-12 weeks after planting. Their ferny foliage and bright flowers in shades of pink, burgundy, white and orange give a soft, delicate texture. Cosmos reach 1-4 feet tall and make great cut flowers too.
Other Fast Growing Annuals
Here are more fast growing, space filling annuals to consider:
- Sunflowers
- Morning glories
- Nasturtiums
- Nicotiana
- Cleome
- Alyssum
- Salvia
- Geraniums
- Coleus
Perennials that Spread Quickly
Perennials take a bit longer to establish and fill in than fast growing annuals. But they come back each year, faster and larger than the season before. Here are some top perennials for quickly filling bare spots:
Daylilies
Daylilies are one of the fastest spreading perennials. Each plant puts up multiple flower stalks covered in blossoms. Over time, daylily clumps can reach several feet across. Give them full to part sun. Daylilies bloom in a rainbow of colors including reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, purples and whites.
Russian Sage
Russian sage is a sturdy, drought tolerant perennial that grows in compact, arching clumps 3-4 feet tall and wide. It bears graceful spires of small blue or purple flowers from summer into fall. Plant it in full sun and dry soil.
Bee Balm
Also called monarda, bee balm is loved by pollinators. It spreads via underground rhizomes, forming large clumps 2-4 feet across. Bee balm blooms in summer with dense flower heads in shades of pink, purple, red and white. It thrives in full sun to part shade.
Black Eyed Susans
A classic American wildflower, black eyed Susans produce an abundance of cheerful yellow blossoms with dark brown centers in summer over lush green foliage. They reach 2-3 feet tall and spread 1-2 feet wide, thriving in full sun.
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses add texture and movement to the garden. Varieties like maiden grass, fountain grass and miscanthus grow rapidly into large clumps or stands. They range in height from 2 feet to over 6 feet tall depending on variety.
Vines to Cover Bare Spots
Adding climbing vines is a great way to cover up bare walls, fences, trellises and arbors. Annual vines grow very quickly over one season. Perennial vines take a few years to reach their full coverage but provide permanent solutions. Here are some top options:
Morning Glories
Morning glories are incredibly fast growing annual vines. They easily grow 10-15 feet in a season and become smothered in trumpet shaped flowers of blue, purple, red or white. Plant morning glory seeds directly in the garden after danger of frost.
Moonflowers
For night time blooms, try moonflowers. Their large, fragrant white flowers open in the evening and last through the night. Moonflower vines can grow 15-20 feet tall in one summer. Provide a trellis or arbor for support.
Hyacinth Bean Vine
The stunning purple and white bicolored flowers and foliage of hyacinth bean vine add unique beauty to garden walls and fences. The fast growing annual reaches 10 feet or more in a single season.
Clematis
Clematis are prized for their showy flowers in shades of white, purple, red, pink and blue. They bloom in spring and summer. Given proper support, clematis vines easily grow 8-12 feet tall. Plant them in full sun to partial shade.
Honeysuckle
Deliciously fragrant honeysuckle blooms in summer with abundant tubular flowers loved by hummingbirds. Varieties like Hall’s Japanese honeysuckle and dropmore scarlet honeysuckle grow quickly to 20 feet or more.
Jasmine
The sweet scent of jasmine fills the garden on summer nights. Jasminum polyanthum and other vine types grow fast, twining their way up supports 10 feet or taller. Jasmine does best in full to part sun.
Shade Loving Filler Plants
Bare spots in shady garden areas can be tricky, but these plants thrive with little sun:
Hostas
Hostas are unrivaled for their wide range of leaf colors, shapes, sizes and textures. Plant them en masse to fill in large shaded spaces. Hostas spread readily, doubling in size each year. Their spikes of lavender flowers add interest too.
Astilbes
With their fern-like foliage and feathery soft plumes of flowers in pink, red, purple and white, astilbes add beauty to shady gardens. They form robust clumps 2-3 feet wide when happy.
Coral Bells
The low growing mounds of coral bells offer a diversity of leaf types and colors. Dainty flower spikes appear in spring and summer. Coral bells spread by underground rhizomes and reach 1-2 feet tall.
Brunnera
Also called Siberian bugloss, the heart-shaped leaves of brunnera often display attractive silver marbling. Sky blue flowers bloom in spring. Give brunnera rich, moist soil in full to part shade.
Ferns
With their delicate fronds, ferns instantly create an inviting, lush look. Popular types like autumn fern, Christmas fern, Japanese painted fern and tassel fern grow 1-3 feet tall. Use them to fill in around shrubs and in woodland gardens.
More Tips for Filling Empty Garden Spots
- Use a combination of low growing groundcovers, mid-sized filler plants and taller specimens for the best scale and visual impact.
- Repeat groupings of the same plants for a cohesive, full look. For example, plant several clumps of bee balm together.
- Choose plants with different bloom times to ensure something is always in flower.
- Use spreading plants like junipers or lilyturf to cascade over walls and hang over slopes.
- Amend poor soil with compost or manure before planting to help plants establish faster.
- Group pots or containers together to occupy bare pavement or patios.
- Mulch around new plantings to suppress weeds and retain moisture so plants grow quickly.
Conclusion
Filling in empty spots in your gardenscape is an easy project that pays big rewards. Choose fast growing annuals, spreading perennials, vine plants and shade lovers to quickly cover bare ground or walls. With a little planning and strategic plant selection, you can transform those blank canvases into beautiful new garden features this season.