Succulents can be great plants for vertical planters because they are lightweight, don’t require lots of soil (more weight) or lots of water (even more weight). Many varieties can do well indoors or outdoors, assuming that they receive enough sunlight. This makes them versatile, easy to care for and definitely low maintenance.
An interesting planter idea that I recently came across is using a shutter. As you can see below, succulents do not have to fill the entire structure to create a unique, interesting and professional-looking piece of outdoor decor.
In this case, less is more. You can enjoy both the succulents and the shutter without having to spend a ton of money on plants. In fact, you can take this same “minimalist” strategy and use it with a pallet garden as well. It doesn’t matter if the structure itself is finished or unfinished.
Check out this picture of a vertical succulent garden using a salvaged shutter, as pictured on the Sunset Magazine website.
This example shows an outdoor garden, but this same idea can be used indoors. The shutters – or whatever door panel you decide to use – can simply lean up against a wall.
This makes it easy to set up, and to move if necessary. It also allows space behind the shutter for planting space.
In this example, weed cloth pockets were stapled behind each slat where succulents were to be planted. You can even buy vertical garden pocket kits for this that allow plants to stay hydrated and breath at the same time. However, the soil container can be any container you choose. Since the container itself will be hidden behind the door panel or shutter, it really does not matter what it looks like.
So what if you don’t have a pair of cool salvaged shutters laying around the house? You can purchase a pair of unfinished shutters at a home improvement store like Home Depot for about $60 that are taller than 4 feet. You can then paint them whatever color you choose, and if you like the weathered look – simply take a sander to them after the paint has dried.
Alternatively, you can get pre-painted shutter through Amazon (go figure) at about the equivalent size – but for less money (about $50 on sale). They come in a variety of colors, are fade resistant and maintenance-free.
As you might imagine, you can “build” a very cool, large vertical garden in an afternoon without a lot of skills or tools. When you’re done, you might have friends asking where you bought this unique work of art.
