If shallow soil is one of your biggest gardening woes then worry not: our quick tour of 20 fantastic and diverse plants for shallow soil will leave you having a tough time deciding which ones to grow.
In this guide you’ll find evergreen bushes and deciduous shrubs, ornate flowers, courtyard garden plants and cottage garden favourites and even a few herbs for your kitchen.
“There are many options for shallow soil, but bear in mind that in prolonged hot, dry weather, the most tolerant of shallow soil plants will succumb to water stress,” shares Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly.
“I use a weeper hose for areas of shallow soil that are planted, with moisture sensors if possible to ensure that moisture levels are replenished when needed.”
We have indicated the approximate depth of the soil that is needed for many or most varieties of these plants and are conservative in our numbers, preferring to err on the high side rather than the low!
Having shallow or compacted soil in your garden can make growing plants a challenge. Many perennials and flowering plants need deep soil for their extensive root systems. However there are quite a few gorgeous options that thrive in shallow soil conditions.
In this article, I’ll share my top picks for beautiful perennial flowers with shallow root systems perfect for problem patches in your yard. With the right plant selections, you can still have a thriving flower garden despite limited soil depth.
Why Shallow Roots Happen
There are several common causes of shallow roots in landscape beds and gardens
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Rocky, compacted soil prevents deeper root penetration.
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High water tables keep soil constantly moist, so roots don’t need to dig deeper.
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Large tree roots, grasses, and other plants monopolize resources near the surface.
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Raised beds, containers, and green roofs have restricted soil volume.
Best Shallow Root Perennials – My Top 12 Picks
Here are some of my favorite perennial flowers that flourish with minimal soil depth thanks to their shallow root structures:
1. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
This tough prairie native produces cheerful daisy-like blooms all summer long in shades of pink, purple, white and more. A pollinator favorite!
2. Catmint (Nepeta)
Catmint pumps out clouds of blue flowers above aromatic, deer-resistant foliage. It thrives in hot, sunny spots with poor, dry soil.
3. Lavender (Lavandula)
Another stellar choice for poor soils and full sun is lavender. Its fragrant purple flower wands shine in early summer.
4. Tickseed (Coreopsis)
Coreopsis delivers a bounty of bright yellow daisy blooms from early summer into fall. The threadleaf species spreads nicely as a drought-tolerant groundcover.
5. Stonecrop (Sedum)
Succulent sedums thrive in rocky, gravelly sites with full sun exposure. They produce carpets of interesting foliage and colorful starry blooms. Great for erosion control too!
6. Yarrow (Achillea)
Yarrow pumps out large flat-topped clusters of white, pink, red or yellow flowers for months on end. Its lacy leaves spread aggressively.
7. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
In early spring, creeping phlox erupts with colorful sheets of blooms. It forms lush evergreen carpets ideal for rocky slopes, pathways and stone walls.
8. Thrift (Armeria)
Thrift forms tidy grassy mounds with rounded flower heads packed with pink or white blooms. Perfect for coastal gardens or sandy, gravelly soils.
9. Dianthus
Dianthus produces abundant flowers in white, pink, red and purple hues. The grassy leaves form low spreading cushions.
10. Veronica (Veronica spicata)
Slender spiked speedwell displays dense upright wands of blue, purple or white flowers above dark green foliage. It blooms for months and attracts pollinators.
11. Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
This Missouri native covers the ground with cup-shaped magenta blooms and deep green, lobed foliage. It thrives in dry, rocky soils.
12. Herbaceous Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)
Candytuft produces masses of white blooms above neat evergreen foliage rosettes in spring. It tolerates poor, sandy soils. Deadhead spent blooms.
Smart Strategies for Growing Shallow Root Perennials
Follow these handy tips to ensure success with shallow-rooted perennial flowers:
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Loosen compacted soils and improve drainage by mixing in compost. Top dress with gravel or sand.
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Mulch beds well to conserve moisture and reduce weeds. Replenish organic mulch regularly.
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Water deeply and infrequently – aim for 1-inch of water per week during growing seasons.
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Fertilize lightly with organic or slow-release products to avoid excessive top growth.
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Space plants appropriately – don’t overcrowd or dig around roots unnecessarily.
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Buy younger perennial plants – they establish better than large mature specimens.
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Control weeds by hand pulling, hoeing or mulching to reduce competition.
Showcase Shallow Roots Perennials in Your Garden
Here are some great ways to incorporate shallow-rooted perennials into your landscape:
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Create colorful mixed flower borders along pathways, fences and foundations.
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Plant low-growing varieties atop stone walls, slopes or embankments to prevent erosion.
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Edge walkways or surround patios and decks for easy access.
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Mass taller types like coneflowers, coreopsis and yarrow together in sunny drifts.
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Use as fillers within ornamental grasses, rose gardens or shrub borders.
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Tuck rock garden varieties like sedum and dianthus into rocky, gravelly sites.
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Underplant trees and shrubs with lower growing perennials instead of turf grass.
With the right plant picks suited to your conditions, you can have vibrant, flourishing flower gardens even in problematic spots with shallow soil depths.
10 Plants that will do well in a shallow garden
Now that we’ve got some basic principles covered let’s see some plants that are suitable for a shallow garden setup.
Azaleas
- BOTANICAL NAME: Rhododendron spp.
- REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- SOIL: Humus-rich; acidic / neutral pH
- SUNLIGHT: Partial shade / Full sun
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous / Evergreen
- FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring
Gorgeous Azaleas are rightly admired for being quite unique; these floriferous bushes produce lovely flowers in a marvellous array of hues.
However, these bona fide bushes have a shallow though wide root system allowing many of them to be grown in shallow soil.
Azaleas have innumerable and varied charms.
Some are evergreen to keep you company in the grey of January, others get covered in blossoms in summer and others bloom twice in the same year.
A top cultivar Azalea bush in full bloom is verily a sight to behold.
Azaleas can have delicately-freckled snow-white blooms, intense glows of fiery orange, big funnel-shaped flowers or star-faced ones.
Many of them have wonderful scents and many are bi-coloured.
Azaleas are divided into at least 8 groups which include thousands of cultivars.
Look around and you’ll find some that will be happy in even 20cm of soil.
- BOTANICAL NAME: Allium schoenoprasum
- REQUIRED DEPTH: 8cm
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- SOIL: Any type; Acidic / alkaline / neutral Ph
- SUNLIGHT:Full sun / Partial shade
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer
Though a few varieties have roots up to 30cm, which is certainly shallow, common chives have ultra-shallow bulb roots that reach no more than 8cm.
So, if you have very shallow soil, you can grow chives – a triple-value plant.
First, chives are excellent pest repellants – and that includes rabbits!
They are very effective against aphids, Japanese beetles and carrot flies.
These qualities make it a very practical plant to grow hard by your precious roses.
Next, it bears delightful little globular flowers in shades of mauve and purple, bringing cheerful colour over the spring-summer seasons.
Last but not least, chives are a type of herb with a subtle herby-onion taste.
It can be used as a flavouring in pot-cooked dishes and as a seasoning on cold cuts.
- COMMON NAME(S): Coral bells
- REQUIRED DEPTH: 12cm
- HARDINESS RATING: H7
- SOIL: Any type; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH
- SUNLIGHT: Light, dappled shade
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer
Among the plethora of Heuchera varieties on offer, many will grow in no more than 12cm of soil.
For a truly ornamental plant to need such little soil is a wonder in and of itself.
These plants feature an abundance of scalloped foliage that come in colours that can be sedated and restrained all the way to the striking and dramatic.
You can get them in chalky, indeterminate tones and dull pewter, and in riveting deep reds and magenta-purple.
The leaves are heart-shaped or rounded.
Some varieties feature leaves that are wonderfully veined, marbled, and sometimes mottled, in reds and purples.
These evergreens that you can grow for the foliage offer a summertime bonus.
They put up slender stalks that rise above the leaves, and these bear dainty little flowers on upright panicles.
They provide an additional splash of colour in hues typically ranging from soft pink to lipstick red.
The Perennial Growing HACK That Saves You HUNDREDS! Start These 10 Flowers NOW!
FAQ
What flower has shallow roots?
So there are some mid-sized plants that can have shallow roots, such as lavender and tall sedums. You can grow lavender in a shallow garden, as long as the soil drains very well. At the same time, the word “shallow” is not a universal yardstick.
What annual flowers have shallow roots in pots?
Geraniums: I love both Zonal and Ivy Leaf Geraniums in window boxes. Their shallow root systems are perfect for the tight conditions. Geraniums prefer to stay on the dry side, so it’s important not to over water them. Deadheading is easy, just gently snap off old flower stems.
What is the most hardy perennial flower?
- Astrantia Ruby Wedding. …
- Iris x robusta Dark Aura. …
- Aquilegia Black Barlow. …
- Hosta. …
- Geranium Rozanne. …
- Helenium autumnale Can Can. …
- Hellebores. …
- Echinops.
What plants don’t need a lot of root space?
| Diamond Snow® euphorbia | Mojave® Fuchsia Portulaca | Lemon Coral® sedum |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ catmint (Nepeta) | Low Scape Mound® chokeberry (Aronia) | Lo & Behold® ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ butterfly bush (Buddleia) |