31 Vertical Garden Ideas: Transform Your Space with Greenery

There are practically endless vertical garden ideas now that plant enthusiasts have realized they can save valuable floor space by getting their plants up and off the ground.

Not only are vertical gardens practical, but they are a great way to add more visual interest to your interior or exterior decor.

They’re an opportunity to create a striking design moment or flex your DIY vertical garden skills with an upcycled pallet or container garden.

Of course, it’s not all about the design.

There are also light exposure and water requirements to take into account when choosing the right vertical garden for your space and deciding whether you’re going to focus on house plants, succulents, flowers, or herbs and veggies.

From wall mounted platers to hanging terrariums, pallet garden ideas, trellises, and more, here are 31 unique ways that you can create a vertical garden in your home or yard.

1. Install Wall Planters Indoors

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Wall-mounted planters are easy to find at most home decor shops and nurseries, or you can make your own using some old containers and mounts.

While most of these planters are watertight, it’s a good idea to remove them from the wall when it’s time to water the plants to ensure that water does not leak through the planters and damage the wall behind them.

2.Grow a Succulent Garden in an Old Shutter

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An old shutter is the perfect frame for a succulent garden.

The plants can be tucked into the rails in small planters or you could focus on air plants, which won’t need soil to thrive in this vertical home.

3.Hang Plants from Old Clothing Rods

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Repurposing clothing rods and racks as plant holders is a cheap and simple DIY.

Plus, free-standing clothing racks are great for dorms and apartments where making holes in the wall or ceiling is not permitted.

Use S-hooks and macrame holders, or hanging planters to display your houseplants with style.

4.Hang Plants Along a Trellis

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A trellis lets you create a sweet cottage-inspired look for your vertical garden.

You can choose plants that have climbing tendencies and will trail across the trellis, or you can choose lightweight potted plants that you can attach to the trellis.

5.Create a Hanging Propagation Station

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A hanging propagation station is a fun way to display your newest plant creations.

Using glass or clear containers allows you to keep an eye on root development, although this is optional.

The propagation vessels can be hung from the ceiling, an existing light fixture, curtain rods, or they can even be mounted to the wall.

6.Suspend Japanese Moss Balls

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Kokedama is the practice of growing plants in moss-covered balls of soil.

It originates from Japan and is distantly tied to the bonsai art form.

Kokedama balls can be easily suspended from the ceiling with clear fishing twine or string, which creates a striking display.

To water the Kokedama, you simply take them down and let the moss balls soak in a basin of water for 10-25 minutes.

7.Mount Your Plants

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This method is most commonly used for staghorn ferns, but can technically be done with any trailing or hanging plant.

Hoyas, philodendrons, ferns, and pothos are all good options.

Wire mesh is used to hold the roots of the plant in place on the board along with some dirt and moss to keep everything contained.

To water the plant, remove the board from the wall and use a spray bottle to moisten the root ball.

8.Create ‘Living Curtains’

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Do you have a bright, sunny window that is looking a little bare?

Save money on curtains and window dressings and use plants instead!

Just be sure that the curtain rod is sturdy enough to hold the weight of several plants hanging off of it.

It’s also important to ensure that the window you choose is not too drafty or cold, especially in the winter as this could cause the plants to die.

9.Create DIY Succulent Wall Trays

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Succulent wall trays are an easy and fun DIY that requires very little ongoing maintenance once they are put together.

They are a great addition to any home interior, or they can be hung on an outdoor wall.

Choose a shallow box (shadow boxes work well) and secure wire meshing across the top.

Then, use soil and moss to hold the succulents in place.

Succulent wall trays should be hung on a wall that receives bright, direct light.

10.Display Hanging Terrariums

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Hanging terrariums are a fun and whimsical way to display some of your favorite plants.

Ideal plants for terrariums include succulents, cacti, and humidity-loving plants such as ferns, ivy, and peperomia.

If you are creating a terrarium with cacti and succulents, they will require very infrequent watering.

For humidity-loving plants, regular watering and occasional misting will help to keep humidity high within the terrarium environment.

11.Repurpose a Canvas Shoe Organizer

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Over-the-door canvas shoe organizers make great DIY hanging planters.

Before planting, ensure that the inside of the canvas pockets are lined with plastic so that water does not seep through the canvas into the wall behind it.

12.Play Tetris With Your Plants

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This vertical arrangement of planters feels like a game of Tetris, with the plants randomly arranged throughout the shelves.

Or maybe it feels like a cat tower?

Either way, it’s a visually striking way to fill a wall with greenery.

13.Arrange Your Plants on Steps

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These gorgeous green steps don’t lead anywhere, yet they provide a bold backdrop for a multi-leveled arrangement of colorful planters.

This is perfect for a corner where you want to add lush greenery but would prefer to add multiple plants rather than just one large one.

14.Hang Small Planters on a Fence

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This orderly geometric arrangement of small planters creates a peaceful look on a wood fence.

Grow multiples of the same type of plant to add to the visually consistent look.

Add in a trailing plant for more interest.

15.Add a Pop of Color With Bright Planters

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For a low-effort DIY vertical garden, hang colorful metal planters with easy to care for flowers, like geraniums, from a fence.

These add a pop of color to a fence and a touch of whimsy.

16.Paint Color Block Planters

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Create a bold, graphic look by taking simple wood hanging planters and giving them a bright coat of paint.

This DIY plant wall is super simple and takes just minutes, yet the result is eye-catching.

17.Hang Industrial Planters in Columns

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Sleek industrial planters hung in straight columns are a stylish way to bring a vertical garden into a modern home.

These metal-accented planters feel warm against a wood wall, and placing plants randomly throughout the planters, leaving some open, creates a more impactful look.

18.Lean a Ladder Against a Wall

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Lean a ladder against a wall and hook lightweight planters to it for a quirky and minimalist vertical garden look.

Make sure to secure the ladder firmly to the wall to avoid the risk of pets and children knocking it over.

19.Hang Colorful Tin Pots From a Pallet

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Paint a rustic wood pallet in a clean, fresh color and lean it against a wall, then hang colorful tin pots from each row of the pallet.

Use contrasting flowers and pots for a fun, summery look.

20.Arrange Pots in Even Rows on a Fence

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Choose small, matching pots, then arrange them in neat rows along a fence.

You can select a variety of plants, yet the matching pots will keep the look feeling neat and consistent.

In this example, white pots on a warm wood fence is a bright look.

21.Paint Old Supplies

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Take old tin cans and an old discarded wood pallet, then give them a fresh coat of paint to create a colorful DIY planter.

The bright red of this pallet and shades of blue of the tin cans is a vibrant, cottage look.

22.Create Shelves for Succulent Planters

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Small terracotta plants nestled into snug shelves and filled with an assortment of succulents looks like something you’d see in a hip boutique hotel,

yet it’s an easy DIY that can be created with a wood pallet and small planters.

23.Install Floating Shelves Outside

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This charming arrangement shows that a floating shelf can turn into the perfect plant shelf.

White wood shelves scattered in columns across a white beadboard wall creates a darling, cottage-inspired vertical garden.

Choose flowers in vibrant colors for a pop against the white.

23.Leverage a Railing for Hanging Planters

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No space? No problem.

Even if you only have a small balcony to work with, you can hang planters from a railing to create a hanging herb garden.

These herbs are planted in old soup cans, which makes this a cheap and easy DIY.

25.Install a Vertical Hydroponic System

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A vertical hydroponic system is a great way to grow an herb garden in a smaller space.

It requires more work than some of the simpler options, but can keep herbs and vegetables growing year-round.

26.Use Chicken Wire for a Rustic Climbing Garden

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Chicken wire is a garden tool with endless uses, including as a foundation for your vertical garden.

Hang it a long a fence, then let climbing vines use it to make their way upwards, without having them attach to—and potentially damage—your fence.

27.Grow Roses on a Trellis

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Climbing roses on a trellis is one of the most classic garden looks.

You could also grow wisteria or other climbing plants and vines along a trellis, creating a vertical garden that feels reminiscent of a British cottage.

28.Turn an Old Bottle Into a Garden

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The DIY water bottle garden is one of the cheapest and easiest hanging garden hacks.

Cut a portion out of the top of a water bottle, fill with soil, and plant moisture-loving herbs that you regularly use in the kitchen. Hang using twine.

29.Lean a Pallet Against a Wall

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Paint a pallet a bright, garden-inspired shade of green, then lean it against a wall and add subtle planters with greenery that will spill over and create a lush, bright, abundant look.

30.Install a Wood Board for Planter Hooks

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A thin wood board is simple to install on a wall, and it provides a blueprint for hanging a neat row of planters.

In this DIY, tin cans look minimalist and styled, particularly when planted with vibrant blooms.

Drill a hole in the bottom for drainage.

31.DIY a Pallet Herb Garden with Chalkboard Paint

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This DIY pallet herb garden goes the extra mile with chalkboard paint that lets you write what’s planted where.

As the seasons change and so does your garden, you can wipe off the name and start again.

FAQ

• Which plants are best for vertical gardens?In a vertical garden indoors, you’ll want to choose non-flowering houseplants like pothos, philodendron, ferns, succulents, bromeliads, and air plants. These will provide you with greenery all year long, as well as provide both filler and spiller plants.
• What kind of vegetables can you grow in a vertical garden?Herbs are a perennially popular choice for indoor herb gardens since you’ll always have them at the ready in the kitchen, while tomatoes are a popular choice for large outdoor gardens. You’ll also find different types of lettuce, radishes, green onions, and chives thriving in vertical gardens.
• What flowers can be grown vertically?Flowers whose blooms stay small and who like to climb do beautifully in a vertical garden. Outdoors, try clematis, climbing rose, and morning glory. Indoors, try orchids.