There are many different types of vertical garden systems, ranging from ultra-complex, time consuming and expensive to almost free in both a maintenance and cost sense.
Here are 15 or so types of vertical gardens you can feasibly setup at home. For all budgets.
Table of Contents
Green Walls
Green walls is a catch all term for walls that have been covered in living, breathing material. Typically climbing plants and hardy succulents are used because of their lightweight nature and year-round green effect.
Green Roofs
Green roofs are roofs covered in greenery designed to minimise energy usage, heat loss, increase biodiversity and create a green space in urban areas.
Green Facades
Green facades are green walls with the growing medium at the base, exclusively created with climbing plants, without a built-in irrigation system.
Tiered Gardens
A super-simple form of vertical gardening whereby tiered planters are used to grow layers of plants, herbs and vegetables in a small area. Perfect for urban apartment living.
Pocket Planters
Pocket planters are hung from wall(s) and have pockets designed to be filled with a growing medium and plant, to create a living wall effect.
Pallet Gardens
A super simple vertical garden that’s cheap and easy to make. Turn the pallets back to front, plug gaps to create an area for the growing medium and plants and voila.
Trellises
By creating a trellis structure, you can grow plants vertically as they have a support frame to grow up and over. Typically this works best with lighter climbing plants. But lots of vegetables and be trained to grow over this type of structure. Even heavier ones like squash and melons (if you use a supportive hammock).
PVC Pipe Gardens
Arguably the ‘classic’ DIY vertical garden option, PVC piping is a low-cost, easy to setup vertical garden. By cutting holes into the piping and attaching the pipe to the wall, planting and irrigating is a fuss-free, low weight option.
Arbors & Pergolas
An arbor is a vertical structure in a landscape or garden that can provide shelter, privacy, shade, and – in this case – provide a sturdy, attractive frame for multiple plants to grow on and from.
Teepees
Teepee structures are great for vertical gardening as they’re supremely sound structurally. Much like trellises these are best suited to vining plants.
Arches
Arches make a superb foundation for vertical gardens. They’re structurally sound, can support even larger plants and vegetable and can be used for solutions more akin to vertical farming than gardening.
Obelisks
Now I’d argue that an obelisk vertical garden is very, very similar to a teepee. It’s like a teepee that’s been squashed to fit into a more narrow space. Which could be very useful for gardening in London.
Hanging Gardens
Ever since Babylon’s early attempt, hanging gardens have been a mainstay of vertical gardening. A real space-saver and fantastic for urban gardening, hanging baskets are a cheap and cheerful way to garden vertically.
Freestanding Vertical Gardens
Arguably the best beginner vertical gardening option, freestanding planters can be easily fitted onto balconies or small roofs. And there’s no need for any fancy growing medium or irrigation system. A little basic watering can, soil and traditional gardening and you’re good to grow.
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