Vertical Garden Ideas

Floor space is precious; walls, fences and balcony railings are often bare. The Royal Horticultural Society notes that many kinds of plants tolerate life in a green wall, from herbs and fruit to grasses and ferns, in sun or shade. This guide follows the RHS green walls page for the options and plants outdoors, and the University of Illinois Extension for the light needs of houseplants indoors.

Three kinds of green wall

The RHS describes three approaches, from simplest to most engineered:

Direct greening - the simplest: climbers, wall shrubs, or fruit trained as espaliers or fans, planted against the wall. The RHS gives the example of pyracantha trained on wires.
Indirect greening - the wall is first clad with wires or trellis, and climbers grow on that; the RHS says this is within the skills of most competent DIYers at a small scale, while large installations, such as covering the side of a house, are more expensive and professional work.
Living wall systems - planter boxes or felt fixed to the wall, holding soil or other growing media; the plants don’t need to climb, but these systems often need irrigation and may need professional installation and maintenance. For smaller budgets, the RHS mentions simple grow-bag-type products for walls, or one or more small panels you can add to, sold in garden centres. Larger systems use plants grown in cells connected to drip irrigation, sometimes using harvested rainwater, and are installed by specialist companies.

The RHS adds that green walls can be installed indoors with additional artificial lighting.

Planting tips (RHS)

Light. If the wall gets less than half a day of sun in midsummer, choose plants for shade.
Match the plants. To simplify planting and watering, choose plants with similar light and moisture needs, suited to the conditions on offer.
Timing. Spring is the best time to plant, as plants come into active growth and establish quickly.
Size. In living wall panels, introduce plants as small as possible, ideally as plugs; they establish more successfully at that stage.

What to grow

Climbers and wall shrubs

The simplest way to add interest to a wall; the RHS says there is a climber to suit every wall, in sun or shade. Pyracantha and ceanothus are its examples of wall shrubs.

Edibles (RHS)

Alpine strawberries, chard, chives, land cress, lamb’s lettuce, lettuce, parsley, rocket, and everbearing strawberries such as ‘Mara des Bois’ and ‘Aromel’; oregano or marjoram and thyme too.

Summer bedding (RHS)

Begonia ‘Million Kisses’, Bidens ferulifolia, busy lizzie, ivy-leaved pelargoniums, petunias and verbena, usually bought as plugs in spring.

Shade (RHS)

Ajuga reptans, Bergenia, Carex ‘Evergold’, Epimedium, ferns, Fuchsia magellanica, heuchera and heucherella, hostas, lamium, liriope, creeping Jenny, Pachysandra and tiarella. The RHS notes these also grow in sun if they get a good supply of water.

Sun (RHS)

Erigeron karvinskianus, euphorbia, Festuca glauca, helianthemum and sedums.

Indoors

Indoor walls depend on light. The University of Illinois rates heartleaf philodendron and Boston fern for low light; pothos, spider plant and peperomia for medium light; and wax plant (hoya) for high light. Low light is a few feet from a north window; medium is right in front of a north window or a few feet from an east or west one. Trailing plants in single wall pots or hanging pots are the simplest indoor version.

Practical checks before you fix anything

Weight. A planter weighs far more watered than dry. The RHS warns, about balconies and roofs, that containers full of compost and plants weigh a considerable amount; for any wall fixing, compare the hook or anchor’s rated load with the planter’s wet weight, and leave a margin.
Water running down. Vertical watering runs downwards. Put a drip tray or a waterproof backing behind indoor pockets to protect the wall.
Drainage. The University of Illinois calls a drainage hole critical in any container: few plants tolerate standing in stagnant water, and wet soil favours root rot.
Uneven light and water. Plants at different heights get different light, and plants sharing one drip line get the same water, which is why the RHS suggests choosing plants with similar needs.

A realistic starter project

Start with direct greening outside (one climber on wires or a trellis), or indoors with a few trailing plants in single wall pots, matched to the light of the spot. Expand once they have lasted a few months.

Frequently asked questions

Are living walls hard to maintain?

The RHS says living wall systems often need irrigation and may need professional installation and maintenance; climbers on wires or trellis are much simpler.

What plants grow best in a vertical garden indoors?

Plants that suit the light of the wall: the University of Illinois rates heartleaf philodendron and Boston fern for low light, and pothos, spider plant and peperomia for medium light. The RHS notes indoor green walls can use additional artificial lighting.

Can I grow vegetables on a vertical wall?

Yes: the RHS lists alpine strawberries, chard, chives, salad leaves, parsley, rocket, everbearing strawberries, oregano and thyme for green walls.

When should I plant a green wall?

In spring, when plants come into active growth and establish quickly (RHS).

Sources

Royal Horticultural Society, Green walls: vertical gardening ideas and Roof gardens and balcony ideas. Read 28 October 2026.
University of Illinois Extension, Houseplants: lighting and Container gardens: drainage options. Read 28 October 2026.

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