Vertical Gardens

Vertical Wall Garden at Bay Meadows in San Mateo, CA

Whether you’ve run out of gardening space, or have seen one and just think they're plain cool, you may have toyed with the idea of creating some form of vertical gardening. Perform a web search on the term and you’ll find examples of all kinds of vertical gardening from across the country and around the world. That’s because vertical gardens are an ideal opportunity to think outside the planter box.  In other words, anything goes, so long as it goes up.

Vertical Gardening on a Patio

Perhaps you have a wooden or wire trellis begging to be used. Or maybe the entrance to your garden area has an arch or arbor that is unused or under used. The structure for a vertical garden can be almost anything; a string of hanging baskets or pots, a wall covered with ornamental grasses or mosses, a series of open shelves surrounding a patio area, or a discarded wooden pallet leaned against a fence.

Geotextile Material

Antique containers, olive oil tins, discarded plastic pots—literally anything that will hold a plant and can be suspended or attached to a wall—are all up for grabs. If you’re into a more uniform look, then Geotextile may be the way to go. Available by the foot, this felt-like material can be cut into any size or shape container you need and glued or sown together. It can also be folded then stapled or nailed to a fence to create rows of planting pouches.

Garden Bed Trellis at DripWorks

What to plant in your vertical garden? Flowers are an ideal candidate if you’re looking to place a splash of color here or there in the backyard or patio area. Strawberries do well in cascading containers. Vining varieties of peas and beans will weave a green tapestry over a trellis or archway with minimum encouragement. Even mosses can be cultivated to cover a stone wall or shaded area of bare dirt. It’s your vision.

Arch in Temple's Rose Garden

As for watering your creation, strands of soaker dripline can be branched off a central line to accommodate almost any kind of container. Individual emitters, like Woodpeckers, can be placed precisely where they are most effective. Misters are perfect for hanging baskets and moss gardens. You can even automate the whole thing with a simple battery operated timer. Then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. And keep looking up.