30 Vertical Garden Ideas to Lush Up Your Space

More and more people are taking an interest in gardening and cultivating both house and edible plants. This can be difficult if you have limited square footage, but if where there is a will to grow something, there is a way! One of the best solutions is a vertical garden – the one that spreads up instead of out. Here are 30 vertical garden and living wall ideas to get you started.

1. Create with Crates. Old milk crates make an excellent DIY vertical garden. They are sturdy and easy to stack, and with just some fasteners and an afternoon, you can build yourself a garden. They are also easy to paint if you don’t love the rustic look of weathered wood.

Stacked Crates Vertical Garden

via @burfordgarden

2. Shutter Space. You can pick up old wooden shutters at most flea markets, and they make a fantastic support structure for your vertical garden. Paint them however you like or don’t, keep the natural wood look, and attach some clay pots using study wire. Now you have a cute and functional garden space.

Clay Pot Vertical Garden

via @billspots1

3. DIY Wooden Boxes. Just because you have limited outdoor space doesn’t mean you need to limit yourself in terms of growing space. These easy-to-build, vertical planting boxes give you ample room to grow herbs or veggies like lettuce and radishes.

DIY Vertical Garden for Herbs

via @lucididit

4. Pallet Planters. There are so many great ways to bring reclaimed pallets back to life, and a vertical garden is one of our favorites. By attaching old pallets to your garden wall with some sturdy fasteners, you create the perfect spot for your trailing plants and flowers.

DIY Pallet Wall Planter

via @forsythfarm_ish

5. Wonderful Windows. Even folks who live in housing without a private yard space can add some greenery to their lives with window boxes. These simple planters can be purchased at most hardware stores, and they attach directly to the outside of your window casing, meaning you need zero-yard space to have a garden. Many people like to put them outside their kitchen window to easily access fresh herbs while they cook.

Window Boxes Garden

via @growhomegurgaon

6. The Easy Route. Building yourself a vertical garden doesn’t have to be time-consuming or even require any tools. Get yourself some plant stands and pots and create a garden corner in your outdoor area. This is a great option if you like a more boho or eclectic style, as you can mix and match stands and planters of different sizes and colors for a unique look.

Upcycling Old Furniture for a Vertical Garden

via @abnc_creations

7. Indoor Décor. Vertical gardens are not just for outside; they also make lovely additions to your home decor. Instead of putting your house plants in traditional pots, consider using window box style planters and affixing them to the wall. These work great if you have pets or little kids prone to knocking over pots or digging in your plants’ soil.

Living Room with Bright Colored Wall Planters

via @projectvelvetleaf

8. Chicken Wire Frame. Another great vertical garden idea is to use a wooden frame and chicken wire to create a garden wall. Then, using wire or sturdy twine, you can easily attach clay pots or empty plastic soda bottles to the wire wall. This makes a great place to start plants that will eventually go in the ground or grow climbing plants like peas.

Chicken Wire and Clay Pots Vertical Garden

via @craftionary

9. A Modern Take. Not everyone who likes the idea of a vertical garden loves the look of rustic wood or upcycled pallets. For a more contemporary approach to your garden wall, use planter boxes painted in a monochrome scheme and squared edges. This will create a tidy, symmetrical look even if you have different types of plants.

Lush Greenery in Modern Black Wall Planters

via @leticiabononipaisagismo

10. Dedicated Space. House plants are very on-trend right now, not only because they are aesthetically pleasing but also because they help filter your home’s air. Setting up a bookshelf or other large shelving in a sunny spot in your home is a great way to decorate your wall space and display your plant collection. It also makes care and watering a breeze when everyone is in the same area.

Decorating Wall Space with Plants Idea

via @haus.of.kerr

11. Accent Wall with Greenery. Another terrific way to incorporate vertical gardening into your home décor is to paint a focal point on the wall of your choice (we recommend one with good sun exposure). Then hang your wall planters inside this designated area to create visual appeal. Of course, you could also create this effect by painting an entire accent wall if that is more your style.

Bedroom Accent Wall with Vertical Garden

via @ourbarnesyard

12. A Tisket, A Tasket, Plants in a Basket. For folks with an abundance of plants, and less space than you need to hang them individually, consider using baskets. Attaching large baskets to your garden wall allows you to fit several smaller plants in one area. The look is a little chaotic but perfect for those who like a beautiful mess.

Outdoor Vertical Garden Using Hanging Baskets

via @lola.tiliches

13. DIY Trellis. Many vegetables are vining plants and require some extra support. However, buying trellises at the store can be costly. This DIY trellis is easy to build and works like a charm. Simply make a wooden frame to suit your area and then string lengths of sturdy rope across it vertically. This works well for cucumbers, squash, and tall spindly plants like cherry tomatoes.

DIY Trellis and Pockets for Vertical Gardening

via @diyplantman

14. A Wall Garden. While most vertical garden designs grow towards the sky, gardens growing in the opposite direction can be stunning. You can create living wall gardens by attaching your planting boxes near the top of your wall or fence and then choosing vegetation that hangs.

Living Wall with Hanging Greenery

via @eri_hers

15. Mini Herb Garden. Having fresh herbs on hand when you prepare your meals is a real treat, but it can be hard to keep an herb garden if you have minimal counter area. That makes these jar gardens perfect for small spaces. Just add a little bit of potting soil and your seeds to a jar. Small mason jars or recycled spice containers work fantastic.

Stylish Indoor Herb Garden Idea

via @diyncrafts

16. An Abundance of Berries. Fresh strawberries are one of the most fun things to grow because they are easy and delicious. However, bugs and birds also find them tasty, which means planting them in traditional garden beds can lead to berry loss. Instead, try out these plastic vertical planters. In addition to making harvesting easy, being able to keep your berries on the patio will help discourage scavengers.

Vertical Planters for Growing Strawberries

via @ms_simms_gardener4life

17. Terrific Terra-Cotta. Some of us love the idea of a lush, green garden but lack a green thumb. Cacti and succulents housed in terra cotta pots are a great solution to this issue. Terra cotta allows for good drainage and helps prevent root rot while coming in various shapes and sizes, from little pots perfect for shelf life to massive statement planters.

Using an Old Shelf for Outdoor Vertical Garden

via @planthasmagoria

18. Easy Container Garden. Harvesting small, shrubby plants like strawberries and herbs can be hard on the knees and back if planted in the ground. However, these easy-to-build vertical gardens with hanging pots make gathering your bounty a breeze. Attach small containers to pallets, add soil, and place them in a nice sunny area. Be sure to purchase containers with drainage holes or add some yourself.

DIY Vertical Garden with Hanging Pots

via @ninanourishthesoil

19. Awesome A-Frame. Making the most of your vertical space is a great gardening tactic outside and indoors as well. These lovely a-frame shelves provide plenty of room for your planters and can be purchased online or built yourself with minimal fuss. They are also a great space saver in small homes or yards.

Ladder Shelf Indoor Vertical Garden

via @sash7747

20. PVC Planters. PVC piping is often used for structural support when building vertical gardens, but they also make great planters themselves. Using a saw, cut a section out of the pipe and fill it with potting soil. These potting pipes are excellent for propagating new plants.

PVC Pipes Vertical Garden Privacy Idea

via @ramchandra.patel.961

21. A Living Wall. Who needs to paint your kitchen forest green when you can just grow a mini-forest right in your home? This beautiful look is created with narrow planting boxes and an abundance of different plants. For added watering convenience, you can even plumb a water line from your sink along your living wall, so all you have to do is turn on the tap, and your plants get a drink.

Lush Kitchen Wall Garden

via @the.hoo.are.you

22. Lush Retreat. Did you know that having plants in your bathroom is super beneficial to your home’s air quality? Plants and their soil help absorb moisture from the air, reducing the risk of mildew. This makes your bathroom the perfect spot to build a vertical garden with plants that prefer a more humid environment. Plus, it’ll make your bathroom feel like a lush oasis.

Vertical Garden Idea for a Bathroom

via @tonksmom2

23. Upcycled Garden. One of the most fun vertical garden ideas is building your planters and the plant stands from recycled materials. One person’s trash is another’s treasure, after all. An old ladder makes an excellent plant stand, and you can use anything from old tin buckets to boots as planters. Visit the local thrift shop or flea market and let your imagination do the rest.

Rustic Old Ladder Vertical Garden

via @wollan_photography

24. Hanging Planters. Hanging gardens are a great way to fit a bunch of plant life into small spaces. This particular hanging garden is a reasonably easy DIY vertical garden space. All you need are some plastic or bamboo tubes, a drill, and a rope. These are ideal for small plants like succulents or strawberries.

PVC Pipes Hanging Planter for Gates Decor

via @courtyjay96

25. Pretty and Practical. You don’t need large, elaborate flower beds to enjoy bright, beautiful flowers all summer. By using a plastic wall planter and hanging it on a fence or exterior house wall, you can enjoy your favorite blossoms even if you have limited ground space. These hanging planters also benefit from being up away from slugs and critters that could dig up your soil.

Fence Vertical Garden with Flowers

via @elho.world

26. Mad for Macrame. Macrame is making a comeback and can be more and more often seen in wall hangings, hammock chairs, and especially plant hangers. These hangers of intricately knotted ropes come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and are the perfect way to turn simple pots into hanging baskets.

Macrame Hanging Planters

via @tied.in.knots_macrame

27. Wooden Window Box. We’ve already discussed window planters and how great they are for growing edible plants, but they are also a fantastic spot to plant flowers. With only a little bit of lumber and some spare time, you can build beautiful wooden boxes that attach directly to your exterior wall.

Window Garden with Hanging Flowers

via @mi.islandhome

28. Crafty Coconuts. For folks trying to grow veggies, be sustainable and lessen their footprint, building a vertical garden using a bunch of plastic can seem counterproductive. However, this is what makes this garden structure such a great idea. This garden is built using coconut shells affixed to a wooden post. Easy to do and eco-friendly.

Eco DIY Vertical Garden Using Coconuts

via @ashishnegi_89

29. Mix It Up. With so many unique vertical garden ideas out there, don’t feel like you are limited to just one design. Mix and match hanging posts with tiered planters and whatever else your heart desires. Nature is rarely symmetrical, and your garden doesn’t have to be either.

Small Backyard with Vertical Gardens and Hanging Swing

via @demeyerwoodcrafts

30. Plentiful Propagation. Propagation is the process of starting new plants from existing ones and can be highly beneficial to those trying to grow their own veggies on a budget. This DIY vertical propagation system uses plastic piping as a structure for your plants and as a water delivery system.

DIY Vertical Propagation System

via @nevrrmind

While most of us don’t need to grow our own food, and houseplants are mainly kept for aesthetic purposes, there is something gratifying about getting your hands dirty and then watching something you planted flourish. So now that you have a better idea of the options available, and this is by no means a list of all the possibilities, all you need to do is pick a place and get to planting.