Urban gardening often comes with a big challenge: limited space. But what if you could turn walls, fences, balconies, or even indoor corners into lush, productive garden areas? That’s exactly what a vertical garden allows you to do.
Vertical gardening is a method of growing plants upward instead of outward, using structures like walls, trellises, towers, shelves, or hanging systems. It’s perfect for small spaces, patios, balconies, or anyone who wants to maximize their gardening potential without sacrificing square footage.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to create your own vertical garden from scratch—what structures to use, the best plants to grow, care tips, and design ideas to bring your green wall to life.
What Is a Vertical Garden?
A vertical garden (also called a green wall or living wall) is any gardening system that grows plants vertically, using supports or containers that allow soil or roots to be oriented upward instead of spreading across the ground.
Benefits of vertical gardening:
- Saves space – perfect for urban dwellers and small yards
- Improves air circulation – reduces plant disease
- Reduces weeds and soil compaction
- Adds beauty to walls and fences
- Easier to maintain – less bending and kneeling
- Protects plants from ground pests
Vertical gardening works both indoors and outdoors, and it can be as simple or complex as your creativity allows.
Step 1: Choose the Best Location
Before starting, assess your space to determine where your vertical garden will go.
Questions to ask:
- How much sunlight does the area receive?
- Full sun: 6+ hours/day
- Partial shade: 3–6 hours/day
- Full shade: Less than 3 hours/day
- Is the surface stable enough to hold weight?
- Check walls, railings, or fences for structural strength
- Is there easy access to water?
- Consider how you’ll water the garden—manual, drip, or hose
Popular locations:
- Balcony walls
- Fence panels
- Outdoor brick or concrete walls
- Indoor living room or kitchen walls
- Small patios and narrow pathways
- Windowsills with vertical racks
Step 2: Select Your Vertical Garden Structure
There are many ways to build or install vertical growing systems, depending on your space, budget, and DIY skill level.
DIY or ready-made options:
- Trellises and lattices
- Great for vining plants like peas, beans, or cucumbers
- Can be wood, bamboo, or metal
- Wall-mounted planters or shelves
- Use pots, buckets, or recycled containers
- Attach to walls using brackets or hooks
- Hanging planters
- Stackable or cascading pots suspended from ceilings or pergolas
- Perfect for herbs or trailing flowers
- Pallet gardens
- Upcycled wooden pallets filled with soil and plants
- Excellent for lettuce, herbs, and small flowers
- Gutter gardens
- Mounted horizontal sections of rain gutters used as planters
- Good for leafy greens and strawberries
- Pocket systems or fabric hangers
- Often made of felt or canvas
- Ideal for herbs, flowers, or small vegetables
- Tower planters or vertical containers
- Self-standing units with multiple tiers
- Great for patios or rooftops
Tip: Start small with one vertical unit and expand as you gain experience.
Step 3: Choose the Right Plants
Not all plants thrive in vertical setups. Choose varieties that are:
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Quick-growing
- Shallow-rooted (unless you’re using deep containers)
Best plants for vertical gardens:
Herbs
- Basil
- Thyme
- Mint (in containers only—it spreads fast!)
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Chives
Vegetables
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Radishes
- Cherry tomatoes (with support)
- Bush beans
- Peas
Fruits
- Strawberries (especially alpine or hanging varieties)
- Dwarf blueberries (in deeper pockets or containers)
Flowers and Ornamentals
- Petunias
- Nasturtiums
- Pansies
- Marigolds
- Succulents (low maintenance, great for walls)
- Ferns (for shady indoor setups)
Tip: Mix in edible and decorative plants for a balanced, beautiful garden.
Step 4: Use the Right Soil and Fertilizer
Because vertical gardens use containers or small pockets, the soil quality matters more than ever.
Soil mix:
- Use a lightweight potting mix
- Add compost for nutrients
- Mix in perlite or vermiculite for drainage
Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts easily and hinders drainage.
Fertilizing:
- Use a liquid organic fertilizer every 2–3 weeks
- Slow-release pellets can be added at planting
- Monitor plants closely, as containers dry and deplete faster
Step 5: Plan for Watering and Drainage
Watering is often the biggest challenge in vertical gardens. Water drains quickly from top to bottom, so proper planning ensures even moisture.
Watering tips:
- Water slowly and from the top to allow absorption
- Use a drip irrigation system for large walls
- Place thirstier plants near the bottom (they get the most runoff)
- For indoor walls, use plastic liners or trays to catch water
Check frequently—vertical setups can dry out faster than ground beds, especially in sun or wind.
Step 6: Arrange Plants for Function and Beauty
Don’t just place plants randomly—design your wall with aesthetics and plant needs in mind.
Vertical layout tips:
- Put sun-loving plants at the top
- Place shade-tolerant plants lower down
- Use trailing plants near edges to cascade downward
- Arrange colors in patterns or gradients for visual impact
- Mix textures (spiky, round, trailing) for dynamic design
Tip: Take photos as your garden grows—you’ll see what needs adjusting seasonally.
Step 7: Maintain and Prune Regularly
Vertical gardens are easier to manage in many ways, but still require care.
Weekly maintenance checklist:
- Check moisture daily
- Remove yellowing or damaged leaves
- Prune for airflow and shape
- Watch for pests (especially aphids or spider mites)
- Add mulch to reduce water evaporation if needed
Replenish soil or compost in pockets each season to keep nutrients flowing.
Step 8: Try Indoor Vertical Gardening
Vertical gardening isn’t limited to outdoor spaces. Many people use vertical systems indoors, especially for herbs, air-purifying plants, or decorative greenery.
Indoor plant ideas:
- Pothos
- Spider plant
- Peace lily
- Snake plant
- Philodendron
- Small ferns
Indoor vertical gardens benefit from grow lights, self-watering systems, and humidity trays if natural light is limited.
Step 9: Go Eco-Friendly with Upcycled Materials
Save money and help the planet by repurposing old items.
Upcycle ideas:
- Plastic bottles turned into hanging planters
- Wooden crates stacked into shelves
- Old ladders used as plant stands
- Coffee cans or mason jars as herb pots
- Broken terra cotta pieces as drainage layers
Not only do these solutions save space, but they also add character and creativity to your garden.
Step 10: Customize for Your Lifestyle
The beauty of vertical gardens is how adaptable they are. Make yours fit your goals and lifestyle:
- For food lovers: Build an herb wall by the kitchen window
- For families: Create a grow-your-own salad wall for kids to harvest from
- For busy people: Use self-watering stackable towers
- For artists: Craft a living art wall with colorful plants in a grid
It’s your space—design it to inspire joy, relaxation, and daily engagement.
Final Thoughts: Grow Up, Not Out
Vertical gardening is more than just a space-saving trick—it’s a smart, sustainable, and stunning way to grow more in less space. Whether you want to grow fresh herbs, decorate a dull wall, or start an urban farm on your balcony, vertical gardens open the door to a whole new way of gardening.
No yard? No problem. With a little creativity, planning, and care, you can turn any wall into a thriving, living garden.