Vertical gardening is a great way to get creative and make the most of your outdoor space. Growing vertically can give you room to grow more plants and vegetables without having to find extra space in your yard or garden. 

With vertical gardening, you can use structures to create an aesthetically pleasing garden that soars to new heights.

Vertical gardening: Understanding the basics

Vertical gardening is all about maximizing space, and vertical structures give you lots of vertical surface area to work with. You can use vertical structures like trellises, arbors, shelves, and wall-mounted planters to create a vertical garden that looks great and helps conserve space.

This type of gardening is perfect for those with small yards or balconies, as it allows you to take advantage of vertical space and create a garden without taking up much horizontal space. Plus, vertical gardening can help you add more color and variety to your outdoor space!

What can you grow in your vertical garden?

The great thing about vertical gardening is that you can grow almost anything in your vertical garden! With vertical gardening, you have lots of room to work with and can easily accommodate a variety of plants, flowers, vegetables, and herbs.

Vining plants are the easiest to grow in vertical gardens and are perfect for those without a lot of gardening experience. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, squash, and melons all do well when grown vertically.

Herbs also do very well in vertical gardens because they require less space than vegetables. Some herbs, like mint, can quickly take over a garden, so vertical gardening is a great way to contain them. While herbs won’t vine up a trellis, they are perfect for small, contained vertical pot systems.

How do I set up my vertical garden?

Setting up a vertical garden is easy! Start by designing your vertical garden and planning the layout. Once you’ve done that, you can start installing vertical structures like trellises, shelves, and wall-mounted planters. Finally, fill in your vertical garden with plants, flowers, and other greenery of your choice to create a beautiful vertical garden!

Benefits of vertical gardening

Vertical gardening can be highly rewarding! Not only does vertical gardening save you space and help conserve water, but it also looks incredibly aesthetically pleasing. Vertical structures like trellises and arbors can also provide shade for plants, making vertical gardening a great way to protect your plants from the sun’s harsh rays.

Different vertical structures

Green walls (vertical plant wall)

Green walls, or vertical plant walls, are a great way to add vertical interest and color to your vertical garden. These are vertical structures covered in plants that can be made with various materials, including wood, metal, and plastic.

Green walls look amazing and can easily turn a vertical garden into an art piece. You can even utilize fast-growing houseplants such as pothos to construct a living wall indoors.

Shelves

Shelves are a great vertical structure to use for vertical gardening. They’re sturdy, easy to install, and can support heavier plants like herbs and vegetables. Plus, shelves provide lots of vertical surface area that you can fill with various plants and flowers of your choice.

Trellises

Trellises provide vertical support and can be used to train plants like vines and vegetables. They’re lightweight and easy to install, making them a great structures for vertical gardening. Plus, trellises look great in vertical gardens and can provide extra interest with climbing plants and flowers growing up the sides. Trellises are attractive and practical options for vining plants such as cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, and melons.

Arbors

Arbors are vertical structures that can provide shade and visual interest in vertical gardens. They look great when covered in vines, giving your vertical garden a beautiful, living archway of greenery. 

Wall-mounted planters

Wall-mounted planters are vertical structures that can be hung on vertical surfaces, such as fences and walls. They provide vertical planting space and are perfect for vertical gardens in areas with limited space. Wall-mounted planters come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can easily find one that fits your needs!

Considerations for vertical gardens

When designing a vertical garden, you should keep a few things in mind.

• Make sure to choose vertical structures that can hold the weight of the plants and soil – heavier structures like shelves may be necessary for growing larger plants like tomatoes.
• Take sunlight patterns into consideration; tall vertical structures can cast shadows on lower plants.
• Design vertical gardens with easy access in mind. Vertical gardening requires more maintenance and pruning than traditional gardens, so ensure you can reach all the nooks and crannies.
• Consider the plants that you are growing. Some vines, like morning glories, will naturally twine up a trellis, fence, or arbor, while others will need to be attached with twine or wire.

You can use vertical gardening to make the most of your vertical space and create a beautiful outdoor oasis! By growing vertically, you can create a custom-made vertical garden that adds beauty and value to your outdoor living area!

My book, The Vertical Garden, can help you “grow-up” and achieve all of your vertical garden dreams. It includes easy DIY projects for vertical garden planters and tips and tricks for success. The next time you want to spruce up your outdoor space, vertical gardening may be the perfect solution.