Let's look at the definition of a "limited garden" as being limited in both the amount of space you have to grow the plant and the amount of time you can spend maintaining the plant. There are many plants out there that would be perfect for a limited garden—we thought we'd provide you with a small list of some of our favorites. Many roses are perfect when it comes to hardy and low maintenance. We want to focus on a few that are both hardy and take up less space. Carpet Roses and groundcover roses work great in containers and hanging baskets. Miniature roses also tend to be tighter and easy to work with. Plus, roses tend to do well in full to part sun and can handle a wide range of temperatures. Low growing (carpet) Asiatic lilies and reblooming or everblooming daylilies get a little taller than some limited space plants, but they work well in small areas, containers and raised flowerbeds. And they provide some of the most beautiful flowers in your garden. Dwarf butterfly bushes (buddleia) are wonderful for small gardens. Plants like the Buzz or Flutterby Buddleia stay small but deliver beautiful blooms that butteflies love. Dianthus come in a wide variety of flower forms and colors. They have a wonderful compact nature and workwell in pots and in the ground. Gerber/Garvinea Daisies add an incredible splash of color to any garden. They stay compact with amazing daisies suspended over them on strong green stems. Also, consider Shasta and Painted Daisies. Coreopsis, Rudbeckia, Echinacea and Gaillardia are other types of daisy-like plants that work well in small gardens. Dwarf Lavender (not any lavender—only the dwarf varieties) is a wonderful addition to small gardens. Lavender's beauty and scent are a nice accent to the plants, decks, walkways, etc. that are near it. Though regular varieties of lavender may work fine in most gardens, the dwarf varieties are great for small raised beds and containers. Another plant that has a large variety of bloom types is the Carnation. Carnations work great in hanging baskets and window boxes. Sedum and Hens & Chicks come in a huge assortment of sizes, colors and plant forms (all requiring minimum maintenance). They work well as borders for other plants as well as by themselves in containers and small raised flowerbeds. SunPatiens®/Impatiens are annuals and thus will need to be replaced each year. However, it's difficult to beat the performance of some annuals and SunPatiens® are incredible performers. Unlike regular Impatiens, SunPatiens® are a variety that do very well in all parts ofyour garden—from full sun to shade. They are perfect for small gardens—growing into a dense dome of blooms and foliage up to 36 inches across. The blooms come in a rainbow of colors and some SunPatiens® even have variegated foliage. If you're interested in edible gardens, Strawberries work well in hanging baskets and strawberry jars. However, you will typically need to water a pot or basket more often than if they were planted in the ground. A plastic strawberry jar holds water a little better than a clay jar. If you go with clay, remember to check the moisture regularly. You don't want to overwater, but you don't want the soil to dry out either. And strawberries are a little bit difficult to control if you allow them to touch the ground. The plant's runners will attempt to spread out and your plant is more susceptible to pests. Blueberries, as stated in the previous section—so long as you make sure they're a dwarf variety—can be a lot of fun in a small garden. Be sure to pick a dwarf blueberry that performs well in your part of the country. Tomatoes, as a general rule, are fair for a small garden but can take a bit of management. Before starting you'll need to put in place a trellis or cage to allow the plant to grow and then secure it to the support as it grows tall. There are a few tomatoes that are better designed for small gardens. Tomatoes like Sugar Lump and Yellow Perfection tend to have a lower and denser growth with cherry-sized fruit making it good for small flowerbeds and containers. Some support with a stake or trellis is still probably going to be needed, but you won't have the tall leggy plant you get with many tomatoes. Sweet Pixie (also producing cherry-sized tomatoes) works great as a hanging plant. Its limbs will cascade over the sides adding an ornamental appeal. And remember, tomatoes are picky with their watering (easy to over or under water), so they require a little more attention than some plants in your small garden. Herbs like rosemary, chives, thyme, sage and basil are great for small gardens. Not only do they tend to have a nice variety of tall, short, fat and thin foliage that comes in a nice blend of shades of green, silver, yellow and blue (plus the occasional bloom), but they also offer a wonderful supply of nice smelling, great tasting, fresh ingredients for your meals. Some herbs require a little more maintenance than others, but a small herb garden is a wonderful plus to your home both inside and outside.