We have a sweet little backyard at our new house but with a rambunctious puppy and a curious two-year-old, many of my efforts to plant things in the ground have been thwarted. Well, more like dug up, chewed up, and pulled apart. I was determined to have some sort of herb garden so I got smart and came up with my own version of a vertical garden. I used supplies I already had on hand and bought herbs and flowers that would take the same amount of sun. I put this together on a Sunday afternoon and have enjoyed it from my kitchen window all week!
1. Supplies: Three sturdy, woven baskets in similar or equal sizes in a rectangular shape. Remember you're going to need them deep enough to plant something but not so big that they're too full and heavy to hang. Braided polyester rope (similar), 1-2 small bags of potting soil, herbs and flowers. Herbs will flourish with a little more room but I squeezed my flowers in for more color. Scissors, and 2 screws appropriate for where you'll hang your baskets. 2. Arrange your plants in your baskets to make sure they'll fit. Take into consideration how tall your tallest plant might get and use that to evenly space your baskets. 3. Cut your rope so that it's long enough to double up on each side and then add another 3 ft. (see rope on right side of basket) 4. Thread one end of your rope through the front corner of the top basket and pull through making sure to leave about 3' above for hanging. Tie a double-knot and then thread it through the front corner of the second basket. Be sure to keep your baskets evenly spaced as you're threading and knotting. You might want to use chalk to outline where they should go. Repeat as you go back up the back corners of each basket. Repeat on the other side checking to make sure both sides are even. 5. Hang your basket to be sure it is even. Make adjustments. 6. Place plants inside to make sure they're in the order you want. 7. Take plants out and fill your baskets with potting soil (on the ground). Plant your plants. 8. Hang and water.
This is a great project for renters, apartment dwellers, or anyone who wants to enjoy just a little bit more greenery. It's a low risk project as you don't have to dig up any bit of ground and it'll keep your plants safe from any number of antagonists. Keep in mind where you want to hang your vertical garden when choosing your plants to give them their best chance. Check plant tags for watering and sun requirements.
Use this same idea in your studio to house crafting supplies, store your fruits and vegetables where you can see them in your kitchen, or add it to your bathroom to store toilet paper and washcloths. It's an attractive way to reclaim some space! –Rachel
91 Comments
That was a really neat idea, thanks! 🙂
Brilliant idea for those of us who are space challenged!
xoxo
http://natashafatah.com
http://natashafatah.com
genius!
Adorable! 🙂 My backyard could use one of these!
http://vivikstyle.blogspot.com
This is such a incredible beautiful and cool idea, I’ll really gonna make that, thanks for sharing!
genius! might have to try this!!
love it!
http://tunderilonka.blogspot.com/
Awesome!
http://www.loganmakesamess.com/2012/05/my-daddy-fisherman.html
This is so awesome Rachel! Great use of space, would be perfect for a balcony. You have such great ideas!
xx
http://www.thrifted.ca
So cute! Thanks for shared!
I love this. Especially with the accenting pink rope. Adds some flare. Awesome job!
– Sarah
agirlintransit.blogspot.com
This is such a great idea! I’ve been wanting to grow some herbs and this seems like a great way to do it 🙂
http://thejoyfulfox.blogspot.com
I love this DIY! so functional and cute. I pinned it immediately. I would love to use this idea in a guest bedroom- for spare linens and guest soaps/lotions, towels, magazines…
Thanks for sharing! such a simple weekend project!
Way cute! This would never work in my apartment, but this would be awesome for extra storage.
– Kake
kakenotcake.blogspot.com
Clever!
http://loopsoflavender.blogspot.com/
I love when projects grow out of true necessity….it just feels so brilliant!! Super cute and totally practical!
http://nateandabbyclark.blogspot.com/
What a cool idea!
That is awesome!
Perfect for my apartment!
wonderful idea…….. love ittttt
Such a great idea! Thanks! Hugs from Sweden
Wouldn’t the basket material mold when watering regularly? I thought about making something similar ones but ended up not to, thinking it would get all gross and moldy.
Love how it looks. I’m moving in to a apartment with a small balcony and am collecting ideas how to smartly create space. Perfect timing 🙂
http://www.sweetandlovelyblog.blogspot.com
What a cute idea! I just have to figure out how to attach it at our balcony…a perfect spring/summer project for me! Thanks!
http://higgledypiggledywonderland.wordpress.com/
I REALLY want a herb garden, but haven’t managed not to kill a living plant yet! I follow all the care instructions yet still they die on me! Would love to try this!!
Ruth
http://529scout.blogspot.com
This is fantastic!
Looks great!
What a lovely idea! Fabulous! x
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Cutee!!!! x
http://stainsofpaint.blogspot.com/
Very cool idea. I’m very into plants this summer so i might just have to try this…..
that is such a beautiful idea
I wish I had a place to put this thing at my flat…
http://1hugaday.blogspot.com/
I rally like this idea!
http://fashionyourlook.blogspot.com/
What a great little project for a nice sunny weekend!
Cheers!
http://www.randomlhappytoday.blogspot.co.uk
super idea! but, I was wondering, do you put something between soil and basket, does it leak when watering?
This is wonderful! We have a small space too…not even a back yard. I’d love to hang this out front so I can actually have a few plants out there. 🙂 I’d love for you to stop by my Pinteresting Party and share.
This is such a pretty idea. (:
http://jessaesque.blogspot.com/
Wow love this DIY! going to show my dad this! he will love this 🙂
Beautiful! Absolutely love this.
How creative and so easy!
http://gandacummings.blogspot.com
Raaaaaad. I’ve been looking for an alternative for planters for my friend who has plant eating pets too. Ha. Thanks for posting this!
I just love this idea so much , great DIY.
Zoe
http://gypsiesister.blogspot.co.uk
What a great idea and so cute! Going to try this!
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
Just found your blog and am IN LOVE!! So much inspiration for the DIY enthusiast!
Would love the follow back! Enter my giveaway for a Nordstrom and Starbucks gift card!
The Pretty Pinhead
süüüß
Love the idea .. and the house is so cute!
Greetings from Germany 😀
Brilliant!
It’s a great idea for home with limited space and want a garden of some sort.
THATS GRYT, Aves Gry
lovely idea!!!
Great idea Rachel!!
I love vinca – I plant it somewhere every year!
Omg! I love the idea, I’ve seen a couple already but never thought I could do one by myself… I think I’m trying… Thanks for the idea!! Love your blog btw!
What a super cute idea. I need to give that a try.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
I just absolutely love this!
Love it!
how clever, elsie!
This is a wonderful idea… I too live in an apartment with just a small balcony. I have a small herb garden but I have been looking for a way to make it more space efficient… perfect!
cute idea
Barbara,
The baskets I used were tightly woven so the dirt doesn’t spill out the bottom. It does spill a bit out the sides where the handles are so if I were to do it again I’d suggest possibly using a dark lining around the sides (not the bottom) unless the baskets you used were likely to need it.
Good question.
This is ingenious! I love it. My roommates and I are about to move from an apartment to a house in the next couple of months and we have been looking for cute gardening ideas like this. I definitely want to try this!
-Ali
Love this! Much thanks to the lovely Rachel!
Very pretty! Too bad the Arizona heat would kill the basket, so I will just have to admire yours.
– Angela Marie @ http://sunkissedivory.blogspot.com
I love the idea! Definitely I wanna try this.
Great idea!!! Think to make it at my balcony 😉
Thank you for sharing 😉
Egle [HideInSugar]
Great idea! Thanks for sharing that! Love the neon pink string you’ve chosen to go with the rattan!
What a cute idea!
This is such an ingenious idea! I would love to make my own & plant some flowers. Now if only I had a smudge of a green thumb.. 😛
http://horsesofares.blogspot.com
I love this idea! Thanks!
Goodness, I think I could actually manage that one! We have the space and I need some herbs. Thanks for the inspiration.
This is such a great idea! I live in a apartment and was trying to think of a way to have some flowers around here. Thanks for the idea!
http://mommaladybug.typepad.com/my-blog/
i love this idea! perhaps some mismatching baskets…
This is perfect for my apartment! What a clever idea!
I never get sick of your DIYs. They are always so beautiful and practical!
Cute idea!!
What a way to upcycle! Love it!
Great Idea!! So cute and would fit anywhere around your house since you don’t need floor space!!
So cute! I made one for my room but with little metal buckets! my room smells so nice and fresh now!
Gosh I love this idea. Think I am going to adapt it a bit and hang it in my study so it can hold all my paints and pens. Hopefully save on some desk space. Might get super creative and make some macrame twisted ropes to hang it by. Thanks for the idea!
Becky K
xo
https://pixiwishes.jux.com/
Very cute. Is there a way you lower the baskets so you can reach the top herb basket?
Cool! I have two or three places I can try this. Now I need to check on my supply of baskets!
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I love this diy project, very simple and cute. did you line the inside of the basket? and how did you secure the basket on the roof?
This is so cute! I love it so much.
Such a fun post! Thanks so much for sharing.
What a lovely idea, so simple but so cute.
http://creativeways.comuf.com/
This is great! However I would add a step – you should probably line the baskets with plastic or landscaping cloth, or spray them with a sealant. When the fibers of the basket get wet, they might weaken, depending on the type of basket. It’ll also keep dirt from sifting through as well. I like the staggered sizes of the baskets and the added color of the rope!
This is a really cool idea. I just happen to have a few baskets I was wondering what to do with. I would suggest lining the basket so that the dirt won’t fall through when you water.
I tried using a basket pretty much like these ones and planted some flowers… everytime I water them the dirt came out with the water!!… there was a point where I just had a bunch of mud under the basket… My experience is, this won’t work just like this… Does anybody have an experience adding plastic or something to prevent the dirt from getting out?
Thank you Governor Walker and Lieutenant Governor Kleefisch for the good fight.
If you are looking for a re-creation of the bakaltbsel game of your past, forget it. When this game was originally sold, it had metal levers that could be adjusted to make the ball shoot more accurately. This model has hard plastic levers which have no give in them and makes it really hard to be accurate with your shot. In fact, it is almost impossible to make a shot from the free throw line because the ball consistently hits the lower part of the front of the rim. The plastic levers also will fall out if you move the playing floor of the game for any reason. I was a big fan of the old version when I was a kid and played it for hours at a time but bought this one for my grandson and we both got so annoyed because you couldn’t score any points that he quit wanting to play it. I finally had to put something underneath the backboards to be able to hit a shot once in a while. Don’t waste your money on this!! If you can find an older version with the metal levers you would be better off.
So cute! I made one for my room but with little metal buckets! my room smells so nice and fresh now! http://www.coolsheds.com.au/