31 Creative Vertical Garden Concepts for Any Space (Indoor/Outdoor)

Vertical gardens are a smart solution for maximizing space and adding visual flair to your home or yard.

By growing upwards, you save floor space and create eye-catching features, perhaps even showcasing your DIY skills with upcycled pallets or containers.

While the design possibilities are exciting, remember practicalities like light exposure and watering needs when choosing plants like flowers, herbs, succulents, or houseplants.

Get inspired with these 31 unique vertical garden concepts, featuring everything from mounted planters to trellises.

Coastal Driftwood Wall Garden

Repurposing of a large piece of driftwood into a vertical garden gives the space a whimsical coatal effect.

The same can be achieved with smaller pieces when grouped together.

The unique shape of every piece gives the planter a point of interest. Attaching it to a wall or a fence enhances this effect.

Use the hollows created by nature to fit plants that suit the space. Succulents seem the be the perfect choice because of their small size and easy-to-maintain nature.

Chicken Wire Potted Arbor

This vertical garden serves as a screen. Instead of building it entirely from solid materials, the space between the posts is covered by chicken wire.

This interesting decision has its advantages. First, you can easily attach as many flower pots to it as you wish.

Secondly, it lets air go through.

Last but not least, the inexpensive materials used to create a farmhouse accent which will turn this part of the garden into a welcoming place.

Hanging Shelves with Terra-Cotta Pots

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This simple and striking DIY project, created by HomeMade Modern, is such a unique vertical display for an easy herb garden.

Circular holes are drilled through inexpensive pine boards (with a 4-inch hole saw) to accommodate the pots, then the whole thing is strung up by rope and zip ties.

Make one of your own vertical herb gardens by checking out the full DIY tutorial from HomeMade Modern.

Upcycled Metal Ammunition-Box Herb Garden

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In this upcycled masterpiece from Ryan Benoit of The Horticult, old metal ammunition boxes are suspended from chains, then planted with herbs.

For a similar look, try repurposing metal mailboxes or file boxes by drilling holes into their sides and using bolts to attach them to the chains.

Repurposed Spice Rack Herb Garden

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Have you ever seen those inexpensive white wire spice racks that are meant to hang from the back of your pantry door?

Well, garden writer Chris McLaughlin of the blog Laughing Crow & Co found one at a yard sale for three bucks and decided it needed to be a vertical herb planter: STAT.

You can find out more about this and her other vertical gardening ideas in her book Vertical Vegetable Gardening (Alpha Books).

Repurposed Hanging File-Organizer Garden

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Sometimes, office supplies can make for some unexpectedly awesome planters.

Case in point: this adorable vertical veggie garden in a hanging file organizer from Inspired by Charm.

Lining the wire compartments with hanging basket liners makes them perfect for filing your herbs (see what we did there?! Sorry, not sorry).

See more of this easy and stunning project on Inspired by Charm.

Wall-Mounted Pipe-and-Metal Hanging Planters

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These industrial-style beauties are the vision of Erin Hatzis’ blog.

The hanging metal trough planters were a store-bought find, but you can easily get a similar aesthetic using small sections of galvanized gutters strung up with natural sisal rope.

Both of these materials can be found at your local home improvement center, where you’re going to be headed, anyway, for some galvanized pipe to hang your planters from.

Hanging Shoe-Organizer Garden

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This simple, inexpensive version of a vertical garden is from Farm and Foundry.

Your shoe collection is about to get real messy, because you’re going to want to repurpose that over-the-door canvas pocket organizer into an incredible living wall planter.

You get the look of a fancy high-end wall pocket planter for a fraction of the cost.

Freestanding Hanging Gutter Herb Planter

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What if you need to plant vertically but you don’t have a wall to do it on? 

Her Tool Belt has it all figured out with this adorable DIY hanging gutter herb planter.

Brightly painted vinyl gutters make perfect planters when suspended by colorful rope from an easy-to-build wooden frame.

Kick up the charm by adding a hand-painted Fresh Herb sign and plant markers.

Hanging Paint-Can Herb Garden

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Sometimes a vertical garden is as simple and sweet as figuring out a clever way to hang some adorable pots.

Check out this DIY Paint Can Herb Garden from Simple Stylings.

Quart-size paint cans get new life with a geometric dash of aqua paint, then hung from super simple dock cleat hangers.

Find everything you need for this brilliant project at your local home improvement store.

Repurpose a Ladder

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Have an old ladder sitting around you no longer use?

Repurpose it by creating a rustic setup for your potted plants.

This display also makes it easier to water all of your plants at once.

Install Window Boxes

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Plants with shallow roots systems, like many herbs and some annual flowers, will grow well in window boxes.

“Window boxes can be a great option, depending on your home style and the effect you want to achieve,” says Raboine.

“You’ll need to consider how it will be mounted, depending on the material of the exterior of your home.

Brick or stucco has to be drilled into in order for anchors to be installed.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Create ‘Living Curtains’

Pin  The Spruce / Cori Sears

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.

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.

Succulent Wall Art Piece

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This living plaque spreads uniqueness and modern vibes.

The picture created with alive plants and wooden pieces from nature creates a scenery that strikes.

Such a piece of art will look amazingly in the living room but using it outside on the porch could be the only decoration you need to spruce up your home.

Tell Your Color Story In Flower Boxes

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Redwood boxes are attached to a wooden partition.

Its application is to zone the sitting area outside and provide privacy.

To make the zone more welcoming, these boxes are nailed to it and filled with soil to grow beautiful spring and summer garden flowers.

The stacked pattern of the boxes adds interest, especially in the blooming phase of the plants when colors and tufts intertwine.

Use Eclectic Vintage Items

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Take a look in your garage and see if there is a piece of a shelf unit that you can repurpose into a vertical planter.

That can even be a weathered section of a storage unit.

Depending on the effect you want to add to the existing interior, you can freshen its surface with a coat of paint or leave it to show the marks of age.

Create An Architectural Wall

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This green wall looks like an innovative architectural piece.

Its futuristic effect is achieved by the installation of vertical beams installed at equal distances.

The clean white lines are the perfect backdrop for the green moss to “leak out”.

The point of interest of this amazing wall is created by installing protruding sections of the same material creating three-dimensional islands for the moss to spread on.

Vintage Card Cabinet Planter

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Looking for unique decor?

Do it with a vertical garden which will purify the air in your home and will add loads of farmhouse charm to it.

Its basis is made of an old apothecary cabinet. Some of its drawers are pulled out to hold planted herbs.

Others are left closed to remind the initial application of the antique.

Hanging Ammo Box Garden

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Taking a closer look at this idea, you will be surprised to find out that this vertical garden is made out of chain and old ammunition boxes.

Their repurposed application gives them a positive application which gives the space a sensible visual statement.

Being green, they work very well with the metal chains that suspend them.

A variety of plants peek out the boxes to smoothen the metal straight shapes.

Wall Mounted Pallet Garden

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The design of this vertical garden lets you experiment with the number of planters attached to it and the alignment pattern.

It is built on a blank wall that has been lacking a point of interest.

And what could be a better way to make it more appealing, especially if it is next to a sitting area?

The blossom collection will spread aromatic scents and will add a pop of natural colors all summer long.

Galvanized Metal Wall Planters

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The material of these relates them to the farmhouse style, however, their shapes and the way they display the plants make them a minimalist addition to indoors and outdoors.

This effect can be additionally enhanced by inserting the same plant arrangement in each planter.

Wood Frame Succulent Wall

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The framed type of vertical garden is a nice way to welcome nature in a contemporary home.

For that you need square frames made of wood. Old crates or boxes could be a great supply in case you have a few left.

After inserting the plants into them, group them on the wall to form a continuous decor piece.

Depending on the effect you would like to achieve and the existing decor, you can use succulents to fill your frames to create a minimalist look.

Using cascading blossoms will give the vertical garden a magical play of colors related to the farmhouse living. The green and leafy plants will give this collage a modern look.

Tabletop Succulent Frame

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There are vertical garden ideas suitable to fit in a tiny space.

They look like a frame holding living nature that can be leaned against the wall to complement a flower stand or to be attached to the wall to create a point of interest.

The design of this frame incorporates clean white lines bent into a geometrical pattern.

They outline the spaces in which the succulents are planted.

Wood Slice Natural Wall

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If you want to use the vertical garden to create a bold personal statement, this idea is what you need.

Slices of a large tree trunk are cut and then attached to the wall to create a jungle wall.

The slices in which there are holes are turned into planters, while others are left empty to provide contrast for the dangling vines.

Colorful Charming Painted Pots

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An easy idea for a vertical garden features small pots in pastel colors attached to an old piece of fence.

Thanks to the alignment of the pots and their bright summer colors, the vertical garden easily becomes a focal point.

So in case you are looking for a fresh and unexpected planter, you can use this idea even for the indoor space, for example, to grow fresh herbs in a small kitchen.

Found Object Standing Planter

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This vertical garden gives a precious antique piece a new life.

The holes of sugar molds provide space enough for succulents to grow.

Each one peeks out of the identical hollows to give the weathered wood a fresh look.

Repurposed Nesting Flower Box

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Old nesting boxes for chickens have been turned into a vertical garden inspiring with its authentic design.

So instead of throwing away this old farm installation, give it new life in two easy and quick steps.

Find a wall to attach it to and then fill it with the chosen flowers. Cascade petunia or pelargonium are gorgeous flowers that can live in any type of planter.

Vines, interesting types of grass and other green plants will also create the desired effect for an interesting and welcoming home.