Plant database
A library for small spaces
Edibles, herbs, fruit and flowers that thrive in pots, patches and windowsills.
Good picks for autumn
From our library — tuned to what's worth starting in September. Set your region for picks tailored to your climate.
Nerine
Shimmering pink lily-stars in October when little else is flowering.
Michaelmas Daisy
Drifts of lavender-pink daisies in October — late nectar for bumblebees.
Radish
Ready to eat in just 4 weeks – fastest reward in gardening.
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Succulent plates that turn from pink to brick — September pollinator buffet.
Herb
St John's wort
St John's wort is a hardy perennial herb with bright yellow flowers traditionally used for medicinal purposes. It thrives in sunny locations with minimal care and can spread vigorously.
Herb
Lavender
Lavender is a drought-tolerant perennial herb prized for its fragrant purple flowers and silvery foliage. It thrives in sunny, dry conditions and is ideal for small containers.
Flower
David Austin White Rose
David Austin English roses are renowned for their classic cupped blooms, fragrance, and disease resistance. White varieties like 'Claire Austin' and 'Generous Gardener' combine old-rose charm with repeat flowering.
Flower
Dutch iris
Dutch iris are spring-blooming bulbs prized for their elegant flowers in blue, purple, yellow, and white. They naturalize well and make excellent cut flowers.
Herb
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Tender annual
Fragrant culinary herb, pinch flowers to keep leaves coming.
Leafy green
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Hardy annual
Quick salad crop, cut-and-come-again in shallow pots.
Herb
Mint
Mentha spicata
Hardy perennial
Vigorous spreader – keep in its own pot or it takes over.
Root
Carrot
Daucus carota
Hardy biennial
Use deep pots and stone-free compost for straight roots.
Herb
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Hardy perennial
Mild onion flavour – the lavender pompom flowers are edible too.
Allium
Spring Onion
Allium fistulosum
Hardy annual
Regrow from kitchen scraps in water then pot up.
Root
Beetroot
Beta vulgaris
Hardy biennial
Two crops in one – roots and tasty leaves.
Allium
Leek
Allium ampeloprasum (Porrum)
Hardy biennial
Sweet winter staple — earth up the stems for blanched white shanks.
Allium
Onion
Allium cepa
Hardy biennial
Plant sets in March, harvest fat globes in August.
Vegetable
Florence Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum
Hardy biennial
Crunchy aniseed bulbs — sow after midsummer to prevent bolting.
Vegetable
Celery
Apium graveolens var. dulce
Hardy biennial
Thirsty plant that loves a deep boggy pot — sweetened by self-blanching.
Brassica
Pak Choi
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
Hardy annual
Fast Asian green — sow successionally in cool seasons to avoid bolting.
Leafy green
Watercress
Nasturtium officinale
Hardy perennial
Grow in a pot stood in a tray of water — peppery superfood.
Brassica
Cabbage
Brassica oleracea (Capitata)
Hardy biennial
Pick the right variety and you can have cabbage in every season.
Herb
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Tender perennial
Root a supermarket stalk in water — overwinter indoors.
Sprouts
Microgreens
Various species
Indoor annual
Ten-day salad upgrade — flavour-packed first-leaf seedlings on a windowsill.
Sprouts
Alfalfa Sprouts
Medicago sativa
Indoor annual
Nutty-sweet protein-packed sprouts ready in 4-5 days.
Leafy green
Cos Lettuce
Lactuca sativa (Longifolia)
Hardy annual
Upright romaine — sweet crunchy ribs, the Caesar-salad classic.
Leafy green
Butterhead Lettuce
Lactuca sativa (Capitata)
Hardy annual
Soft buttery rosettes — the gentlest, most child-friendly lettuce.
Leafy green
Oakleaf Lettuce
Lactuca sativa (Crispa)
Hardy annual
Frilly lobed leaves — cut-and-come-again for weeks of salads.
Leafy green
Iceberg Lettuce
Lactuca sativa (Capitata, Crisphead)
Hardy annual
Dense crunchy globes — needs space and steady water to firm up.
Herb
Thai Basil
Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora
Tender annual
Aniseed-edged basil — the herb behind pho and pad krapow.
Herb
Purple Basil
Ocimum basilicum 'Purpurascens'
Tender annual
Deep aubergine-purple leaves — striking in pots, makes rosy vinegar.
Herb
Greek Basil
Ocimum basilicum var. minimum
Tender annual
Tiny-leaved bushy basil — sweeter and tougher than Genovese.
Herb
Spearmint
Mentha spicata
Hardy perennial
The mint for mojitos, lamb and Sunday peas — keep in its own pot.
Herb
Peppermint
Mentha × piperita
Hardy perennial
Stronger menthol punch — the better tea mint and digestive soother.
Herb
Chocolate Mint
Mentha × piperita 'Chocolate'
Hardy perennial
After-dinner cocoa-scented mint — sublime in chocolate puds and tea.
Brassica
Savoy Cabbage
Brassica oleracea (Sabauda)
Hardy biennial
Crinkled blue-green winter cabbage — sweetest after a few frosts.
Brassica
Red Cabbage
Brassica oleracea (Capitata, Rubra)
Hardy biennial
Glossy purple drum — slaws, sauerkraut and Christmas red cabbage.
Allium
Welsh Onion
Allium fistulosum
Hardy perennial
Clumping perennial spring onion — never need to sow again.
Allium
Garlic Chives
Allium tuberosum
Hardy perennial
Flat blades with mild garlic flavour — white pollinator flowers in late summer.