Is this gap big enough to plant in?

[smileattherain]

I have about an eight inch gap between a patio and fence and I am trying to work out whether I can plant something small and turn it into a tiny border, or whether I need to gravel it over. Lots of weeds grow there, which makes me think it might be okay, but if so, please can anyone point me in the direction of some suitable plants? It gets full sun from lunchtime onwards.

What’s the soil like there? If it doesn’t stay too wet in winter, you could fill it with alpines.

or Ivy leaved toadflax would fill it nicely.

It drains really well, so that could be a great option - thank you!

Mexican fleabane, that daisy stuff that grows in cracks

Do you care if it spills over onto the patio a bit? Some evergreen grasses - Carex or Ophiopogon would be low maintenance.

@soupfiend suggestion is good! Good for pollinators too.

Carex are sedges not grasses. They tend to be smaller than the ornamental grasses, and very tough. I like Carex comans, a bronze-sh colour, and there's also blue ones, green ones, and green with white edges.

Ophiophogon is an Asparagus family plant which looks like a grass, but has berries like Asparagus does. Most often seen is the one with dark purple, almost black leaves.

I'd plant house leeks (sempervivam).

If you don't mind it spilling out onto the patio then lavender would work there.

Alternatively, put up some wires on the fence and you can plant some climbers like clematis, or maybe even grow some annual climbing plants like sweet peas.

There's a youtube video here showing how to cheaply add supports to the fence for the climbing plants:

Sounds perfect for thyme, rosemary, lavender, oregano, all those med. herbs that grow in small amounts of well drained soil. I'd make it a herb garden with marigold clumps for brightness in summer, and bulbs like crocus, miniature daffodils in winter.

What about climbers up the fence?

And/or sedums.

Would creeping phlox work?

I have an amazing wisteria that is growing in the same size space (8" x 8") and climbing up

Thank you all so much for your suggestions- I have gone from no options to lots of ideas, thanks to you all!