Advantages of building a vertical garden
When done right, vertical gardens look amazing, and completing the process can really give you a sense of accomplishment. Even though you’ll need to make a small investment, your hard work will pay off, especially if you’re growing edible herbs.
If you have an outdoor patio, you can even create a vertical garden to enclose the space and create a canopy. This “green roof” will provide much-needed shade, especially during the hot summer months. The plants also act as a soundproofing barrier and add privacy.
Vertical gardens can also help you make efficient use of a small outdoor space, like a balcony. But before you start building one, you should make sure that the area gets plenty of sunshine. It should be facing the east so your plants can have lots of morning light.
Those who want to build an indoor garden in an apartment or condominium will need to plan more carefully. Not all plants can thrive without natural light, so choose the ones that do well in low-light environments. These include English ivies, ferns and peace lilies.
How to build a vertical garden
One of the most common ways to create a vertical garden is by using a pallet board. They’re inexpensive and easy to find.
Materials
- 2 Pallet boards (with untreated wood)
- Galvanised screws and hammer
- L-brackets
- Weed mats
- Staple gun
- Soil
- Plant seedlings/seeds
Instructions
- Using a pair of gloves, clean the pallets thoroughly. Remove stray nails or splintered wood.
- Attach planks from another pallet board to the bottom of each section of the main pallet. The additional planks will serve as the base for the planters.
- Line the bottom of each pallet with weed mats. Use staple guns to secure them in place.
- Position your pallets against the wall and create marks where you should install L-brackets.
- Mount the pallet on the wall.
- Fill the planters with soil.
- Dig holes and add plants. Choose plants with shallow root systems like salad greens and herbs.
15 garden wall ideas for your green space
Aside from using a timber pallet to make a vertical succulent garden, your imagination is the limit when it comes to building green spaces. Here are some vertical garden ideas for inspiration.
1. Use open shelves
Open shelving isn’t just for books or kitchen essentials. You can also place planters on floating shelves to create a vertical garden with little to no effort.
2. Recycle plastic bottles
Recycling plastic bottles is an efficient way to reduce waste. You can paint them in any colour to make them more appealing. Once you’re satisfied with the bottles’ appearance, cut out a large hole on the side, add soil, then plant seeds.
3. Use mason jars
Another DIY vertical garden solution is to use mason jars. They’re more elegant than plastic bottles, but they require a little more planning. Because of jars’ shape, you’ll want to choose plants with long and thin stems, like herbs. Don’t forget to label them once you’re done.
4. Upcycle a dresser
Old dressers don’t have to go into storage or be sold off. You can use them as planters for your vertical garden.
5. Repurpose a step ladder
Using a step ladder as a stand for pots is an easy way to create a DIY vertical garden. If you don’t have a step ladder, you can easily order one from Amazon.
6. Mount planters on horizontal fences
Create visual interest by mounting vertical garden planters on horizontal fences.
7. Mount a vertical frame planter
Photos and paintings aren’t the only objects that deserve to be framed and displayed. Plants can produce the same effect, too. Choose colourful succulents to achieve the best results.
8. Use planks
Nail pots to a plank and you can have an interesting wall feature to add to your home.
9. Buy a vertical planter
If you’re scratching your head thinking of how to make a vertical garden, you don’t have to worry. Buying a vertical planter is a fuss-free solution.
10. Use hook planters
With hook-shaped garden planters, you can easily build a hanging garden. You can place them on railings or chicken wires.
11. Create a DIY trellis
If you’re a true handyman who loves working with a variety of tools, you can create a DIY trellis. This is an ideal place for hanging vines to grow.
12. Grow vegetables
Vertical gardens aren’t just for display. You can grow crops, too. Some of the vegetables that are ideal for vertical gardens are beans, melons and summer squash. Cucumbers that were grown this way also end up longer and straighter.
13. Create a hanging garden
Hanging gardens have been around since ancient times. This type of vertical garden is ideal for a large outdoor area since the cascading plants look best when they cover a lot of space.
14. Buy stackable pots
A simple space-saving solution is to buy stackable pots. You can order one for $AUD97 at Stackapots.
15. Design a feature wall
No list of vertical garden ideas is complete without including a living wall. It’s a unique and impressive design feature that’ll make your home stand out from the rest.
One of the challenges you’ll face in maintaining a living wall is keeping the plants watered. Watering them by hand puts you at risk of damaging your interior wall or the floor because of the excess moisture. You can build a DIY irrigation system or ask a professional for help.
Test your green thumb
Vertical gardens add value to any home. They reduce ambient temperature, clean the air and take up little space. You also have the option to build one yourself, so it doesn’t take a lot of money or effort to get started.
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