These vertical garden designs are epic space-savers and gorgeous, too! Check out 46 examples of how gardening vertically can work for your home and life.
Have you heard of Patrick Blanc? If not, I’m betting you know about his brainchild – the vertical garden. Patrick is a French botanist who is known for inventing green walls.
He constructed and erected the first green wall at the Paris Museum of Science and Industry in 1988. Blanc holds several patents for his vertical garden design.
Since that first green wall went up in Paris, well, let’s just say the whole world has been catching on to the concept of vertical planters and gardens. In fact, it’s been taking the gardening (and design) world by storm because it turns gardening into something that designers and people who don’t have space can (and want) to do!
Here’s a little peek at some of the insanely awesome vertical garden goodness we’ve got for you to see here today…
What is a vertical garden?
So just what is a vertical planter or a vertical garden? That term describes any plants planted on a vertical surface rather than a traditional horizontal planting technique. This includes flowers, herbs, vegetables, and other various plants, including succulents.
Note: The term vertical gardening can also describe cultivating plants that grow naturally in a vertical direction, such as vines.
What is the difference between a green wall, a living wall, and a vertical garden?
The terms ‘green wall’ and ‘living wall’ are used interchangeably. The terms refer to a self-contained type of vertical garden consisting of plants, flowers, etc., that grow on a vertical surface.
You have probably seen living walls or green walls in commercial spaces because they have their own internal irrigation systems, which makes them low maintenance (or maintenance-free).
Gardening vertically is also usually “hydroponic,” which means there’s no soil. Being hydroponic makes these systems much cleaner to operate because there’s no dirt falling off the wall onto the floor.
Hydroponic systems with irrigation systems are commonly used for interior spaces at conventions, events, and other spaces.
Note: The typical homeowner interested in this unique type of gardening is looking to DIY a vertical garden. This type of gardening usually does require soil, as well as watering.
Benefits of Gardening Vertically
There are SO many benefits to this style of gardening! Vertical gardening will:
- Save space
- Allow you to grow in non-traditional spaces
- Is easier to maintain
- Add privacy and beauty
- Produce better crops
- Provide better airflow to plants
- Help prevent pest and disease problems
- Make harvesting easier
Vertical Gardening FAQs
Why is vertical gardening gaining popularity?
The vertical garden movement has picked up steam very quickly within the past several years, and with good reason!
Many people are apartment and condo dwellers who have very little to no outdoor space. Vertical gardening allows people living in tight quarters to enjoy gardens in and outside of their homes. Vertical planters take up significantly less space than traditional gardens and don’t require a parcel of land.
People use vertical gardening on balconies, along fences, interior walls, and more. If you have a vertical surface of any kind, there’s likely a way to create a garden for it.
They’re also beautiful and a creative way to add greenery to your exterior decor.
What plants grow well in vertical gardens?
Many different flowering and non-flowering plants will grow well in vertical gardens. Bromeliads are a great choice!
You can also grow some food, such as lettuces, spinach, beans, carrots, garlic, miniature squash, and more.
How hard is it to maintain a vertical garden?
Although it might seem harder to maintain a vertical garden, it’s actually easier than traditional gardening.
Everything is higher and closer to eye level, and because everything is off the ground, weeds and pests require much less work.
46 DIY Vertical Gardens Perfect for Spring
So now that you’re jazzed about buying or building your own vertical garden at home, let’s give you lots of ideas for different options for your new “grown-up” garden! These are all DIY options, so anyone can make them.
If you’d rather buy than DIY, no worries! Skip to the bottom for great sources where you can find pre-built/pre-made vertical planters available for purchase!
1. Cable & Metal Pail Vertical Garden
We built this relatively easy vertical garden with airplane wire and hanging pots as a way to create a kitchen garden and also provide a bit of a privacy screen to help hide our AC units (which are now covered well, thanks to this easy lattice AC screening project).
While you’re checking out DIY gardening projects, try these easy garden markers, too! Have your kiddos write the names of the plants onto some inexpensive wooden spoons. Learn more in this DIY plant labels post.
2. Monogram Planter
Talk about a gorgeous outdoor statement piece! Make a monogram vertical planter for your entranceway or outdoor living area with this tutorial by Ellery Designs at Remodelaholic. I love this!
3. Tin Can Fence Vertical Planters
Inexpensive vertical gardening at its finest! Grab some old tin cans and check out Ciera Design’s tutorial for how to make a vertical garden attached to your fencepost.
This vertical gardening method is easily customizable and will fit any budget.
4. Modern Vertical Garden from Cedar
A cool, linear modern vibe happening here with this vertical garden design by Man Made DIY.
It’s got clean edges and is perfect for any type of gardening. Veggies? Herbs? Flowers? Yep, yep, and yep!
5. PVC Pipe DIY Vertical Garden
I love this idea from the Kim Six Fix! It’s an ideal and easily personalizable method for building a vertical garden.
Use different sizes of PVC pipe for different-sized plants, and have fun playing with painting your pipes in different colors.
6. DIY Ladder Style Garden
Ana White shows you how to build this ladder-style vertical garden. It’s like creating layered window planters that you can have anywhere!
The post also includes free building plans so you can make it yourself.
7. Cedar Box Vertical Garden
Here’s another great Ana White idea (she has so many!). This one is designed to attach to a pre-existing vertical surface like a fence.
8. Wire Netting Free-Standing Vertical Garden
Homemade Lovely has a simple but effective and versatile vertical garden idea.
You could create this as a free-standing element or add it to an existing gazebo or porch.
9. Terra Cotta Pot Garden on a Fence
Look at this burst of color from Made with Happy! A really easy, inexpensive, and colorful approach like this example works just as well for a vertical garden, or maybe even better, depending on your space.
10. Rolling Planting Pyramid
This example from Remove and Replace is one of the more complicated (and impressive) builds on this list. It’s a space saver, for sure.
I love how it adapts the pyramid design, but my favorite feature is that it rolls.
11. Mason Jar Fence Planter
Love this really attractive concept from Rebecca’s Bird Garden Blog that uses old, reclaimed wood posts and chalk-written plant labels.
The clear jars give a great view of the roots so you (or the kids) can see what happens UNDER the soil as well as above.
12. Repurposed Shutter
I love repurposed old shutters. Have you seen the one we use for displaying our Christmas cards? When used for a vertical garden, this concept is not only genius but so pretty too!
13. Easy DIY Vertical Garden Video Tutorial
John from Growing Your Greens provides a great tutorial to watch on creating a DIY vertical garden. He also shares some wonderful reasons at the very beginning to consider trying your hand at vertical gardening.
The video covers several different styles of vertical gardens. Some of them attach directly to a vertical surface, while others hang so as not to harm the vertical surface in any way and don’t need direct attachment. If you watch the video, you’ll find an idea that fits (or at least inspires) you.
In addition, the small business discussed in this video manufactures vertical gardening kits for purchase. However, you could construct something similar completely DIY.
The owner originally created these vertical planters as a way to help his aging parent continue to garden without having to crouch down to ground level to do so.
Note: It’s a long video, but has a LOT of helpful information for you!
14. Stacked Wood Planter Box Wall
Unfortunately, there isn’t a tutorial for this project from Little Green Dot.
But I loved the design so much that I wanted to include it for any especially handy DIY’ers who could probably figure out a building plan based on the pics in her post.
15. Using Soda Bottles and Ikea CD Racks
Many people won’t even remember what a CD rack is at this point, ha!
But, if you happen to have any stashed anywhere, or see some at the thrift store, here’s a great upcycle project to try from Dream N’ Grow It.
16. Vertical Planter and Bird Feeder
How fun is this idea from Home Stories A to Z? The design of using precariously stacked terra cotta pots as a vertical garden with a bird feeder (or bird bath) on top will be the perfect addition to any porch or deck!
17. Leaning Tower of Parsley
Ginger Snap Crafts offers another ladder-type variety of vertical gardens, but this one leans. Build it as narrow or wide as you like based on the available space you have.
18. Complete Guide to Vertical Gardening on a Budget
Guys, this video is GREAT. Jess from Roots and Refuge Farm walks you through her enormous garden and tells you all about the ins and outs of vertical gardening.
If you want to really learn about this gardening style, check out this video.
19. Using a Shoe Pocket Organizer
A very popular way to create a vertical garden is using over-the-door shoe organizers, as shown in this Instructables tutorial.
It may not always be the most decorative, but it’s definitely effective and affordable.
20. Keg Vertical Planter
Vertical garden planters made from old kegs? Yep, it’s amazing what you can do with a little creativity (and a little tutorial from Instructables). What’s not to love about this?
21. Vertical Hydroponic Garden from Rain Gutters
This tutorial from Instructables will show you how to transform traditional gutters into vertical gardening systems. This system is adaptable to use almost anywhere.
22. Cedar Wall Planter
Jamison from Rogue Engineer shares the building plans for this trough-style wall planter made from cedar. You can attach this vertical garden design to a wall or fence or leave it freestanding.
23. Chicken Wire Fence Planter
Check out this cool-looking cornucopia-esque vertical garden planter from Stow and Tell U. It’s designed to be attached to a fence, and what a great visual effect it makes!
24. Stair Vertical Planter
Helpful Homemade makes such a smart use of a pre-cut stair stringer! Plastic (or wooden) window planters fit perfectly, and everything gets plenty of light.
25. Hanging Gutter Vertical Planter
Here’s another vertical garden design using gutters. But this time, they’re hung horizontally and stacked instead of vertically as previously shown.
The painted brackets and DIY sign are nice finishing touches in this design from Her Toolbelt.
26. Framed Chicken Wire Mason Jar Garden
Kleinworth & Co. offers a simple and decorative planting option made with chicken wire and mason jars. I love that see-through look when using clear jars.
27. French Garden Tuteur
Vertical gardening doesn’t just apply to flowers or plants that stay low. It’s also ideal for vines!
Try building this popular type of structure from She Holds Dearly for creeping-type plants like cucumbers, beans, and tomatoes.
28. Rain Gutter Planters
The Good Hearted Woman offers this take on using rain gutters as planters. What can I say? It’s affordable, visually appealing, and space-efficient!
29. Upcycled File Folder Holder
If you have an extra file folder holder lying around, here’s a brilliant upcycle from Inspired by Charm that you might be able to use.
I like this idea much better than the original purpose, don’t you? And what a great way to spruce up those typically blank walls around the garage!
30. Upcycled Wire Spice Rack
Sure, they call it a spice rack, but Laughing Crow & Co. has a better idea! I’m always impressed with projects that brilliantly upcycle common, everyday objects. This vertical planter idea is no exception.
31. Balcony Vertical Gardening for a Tiny Balcony
Isn’t it impressive how many plants fit into this small balcony area thanks to this smart vertical garden project from Melo-Drama?
32. Ammo Container Vertical Garden
Quite possibly, some of the best-looking DIY vertical gardens on this list are the ones below from Ryan at The Horticult.
He shows you how to create planters from old ammo containers. So good.
33. Paint Can Garden
Isn’t this coastal style paint can upcycle concept from Simple Stylings adorable? She uses hers for herbs, but you could plant flowers or other plants in lieu of herbs.
34. Modern Hanging Wall Planter Vertical Garden
It’s modern, simplistic, and chic. I love the simple black vertical planters hanging from ropes in this idea from Grillo Designs.
35. Lattice Privacy Screen
Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl uses this DIY primarily for privacy screening and opts for cut flowers on hers, but living growing plants could easily be swapped in place of the cut flowers.
36. Shower Caddy Vertical Planter
Do you have an old or unused shower caddy? Check out how Victoria from Dazzle While Frazzled used one to create a vertical succulent garden.
37. Free-Standing Vertical Garden Planters
Here’s a great option from The Craft Patch Blog that’s perfect for a narrow space. And the colorful pots make this pretty to look at, too! It just goes to show that vertical gardens can work anywhere.
38. Hanging DIY Succulent Frame
Jaime Costiglio created a beautifully framed planting wreath to make an indoor vertical garden with succulents, but this could also be a planter for flowers or veggies that could be mounted outside.
39. Upcycled Crib Turns Vertical Planter
Check out Alaya’s DIY at her crib. Made with…a crib! What a creative idea from Behind the Big Green Door.
40. Planked Vertical Garden
Ursula from Homemade by Carmona creates a vertical garden right outside her front door that’s not only functional but welcoming too!
41. Pallet Garden
Do you like the idea of reusing a pallet, but don’t want to necessarily plant your veggies, etc, inside the actual pallet wood? Give this option from Jenron Designs a look!
42. DIY Planter Boxes on a Fence with French Cleat
Another lovely fence post version of DIY vertical planters, this one created by Serena from Thrift Diving.
Her attachment method is a great one which makes the boxes easy to remove and replant whenever desired.
43. Upcycled Wood Bowls to Vertical Container Garden
Leave it to Bethany from Reality Daydream to come up with a completely novel and gorgeous approach to a DIY project.
This green wall is unlike any other on this list. And the final project is not only functional but very attractive and super unique. Love!
44. A Vertical Pallet Garden on Wheels!
Are you a fan of pallet projects? Then you’ll want to see how Roeshel from DIY Showoff creates a gorgeous rolling garden from a pallet.
45. Hanging Succulent Pot Planter Vertical Garden
No wall to lean a planter on? No problem. Stefanie from Brooklyn Limestone will show you how to build a vertical garden that hangs and makes it beautiful to look at, too!
46. Repurposed Stair Railing
Do you have an old staircase you’re dying to renovate? Check out how Tara from Just Call me Homegirl makes use of her old railing to create a great place to plant creeping veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and more.
DIY not your thing, but a vertical garden IS your thing? No sweat. I’ve gathered a bunch of awesome vertical garden kits that you can buy! Simply click on any of the options below to learn more about the planters and shop!
Looking for more outdoor DIY projects and home decorating ideas? Be sure to check out these articles, too!
Pin these vertical garden ideas for later! And if you make one, leave a comment (or better yet, a photo) on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try this project, too!
I read one of your post I learn so much! Thank You so much for caring about the people of this world that you have never met but made such an impact on their lives!
Thank you so much for these wonderful ideas