Whether it’s at the back, the front or a bit on the side, your porch or verandah may become a neglected space because it’s small. But you can turn it into a place where you’ll want to hang out by coming up with a creative arrangement of hanging pots. Then add function – such as chairs and a table – and you’ve created a wonderful indoor/outdoor room for your home. From now on, the only way to go is up.
Hanging pipe garden
Lighten up a shady porch with a vertical garden made from PVC pipe painted to look like metal. Each container has small, shade-loving plants with different textures, patterns and densities. Bold, variegated hostas make fine company with delicate-looking blue lobelia, the white flowering spurge (Euphorbia ‘Stardust’) and maidenhair ferns.
Make your vertical pipe garden
Gather your supplies
– 4m x 90mm PVC piping and 16 matching end caps
– Primer and metallic spray paint
– Galvanised chain
– Hook spring toggles (20)
– S-hooks (20)
– Screw-eye hooks or plant hanger brackets (2)
– Tape measure
– Pencil
– Hacksaw
– 180-grit sandpaper
– Drill and 11mm drill bit; jigsaw
– Painting equipment
– Wire/chain cutters
– Wire
Here’s how
Step 1 Mark pipes every 500mm and cut with a hacksaw to make 8 pieces. Sand cut edges smooth.
Step 2 Mark a 70mm wide and 360mm long opening in centre of each pipe piece. Drill a hole at corners and cut out with a jigsaw. Sand edges smooth.
Step 3 On 6 pieces, drill holes 40mm from each end. Also drill corresponding holes on the bottom of 4 of these pipe pieces.
Step 4 Drill 5 drainage holes along base of pipe pieces and attach end caps.
Step 5 Apply primer then 2 coats of metal-look paint, leaving to dry after each coat.
Step 6 Cut chain to required lengths with wire cutters. Insert toggle hooks in holes. Attach chain to them with S-hooks to make 2 assemblies of 3 pieces each.
Step 7 Hang assemblies from screw-eye hook or plant hanger with a gap between them of 360mm. Attach remaining 2 pieces between them with wire wrapped around chain and through small holes drilled in pipe pieces.
More hanging basket inspiration
Check out these amazing ideas for ornamental and edible hanging baskets. Featuring flowers, trailing plants and greens there is a basket to suit your style.
Hanging begonias
Sit back and relax as the orange Begonia ‘Bossa Nova’ (it also comes in red, pink, yellow and white) performs its dance spectacular. Include as back-up performers the vibrant, limey sweet potato vine and dramatic Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’.
Hanging petunias
Make your breakfast nook in a corner of a sunny porch even brighter by hanging a trio of different coloured petunias at cascading heights to create a living chandelier. So simple, yet so grand!
Hanging edible greens
Greens are not only good for you, they look great too. Bring part of your vegie patch to the porch and pick as you please for your smorgasbord. The greenery is differentiated by the textures and shapes of the plants – small red and green lettuces, crinkly kale, mint and oregano – and contrasted with red-veined sorrel.
How to care for hanging plants
Your plants need watering when you feel the growing media is dry to touch – usually once a week, maybe more for your vegetable planter. To make it easier for you, without having to take the plants down, invest in a watering or hose wand. Don’t forget to move any furniture under the plants out of the way!
Hanging basket tips
• A hanging basket with potting mix and plants is heavy, so when hanging from the ceiling or a beam, secure it from a 10cm steel screw eye hook.
• If hanging from a wall, fence or post, use a plant hanger bracket with a hook.
• Attach your planters to the screw or bracket with a swivel snap hook so you can turn your containers every week or fortnight so the plants get an even amount of sun.
You might also like:
How to build a pallet wall planter
How to build a curved wall planter
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