Like Mark Twain once quipped, land is always going to be valuable because they’re simply not making any more of it. Anyone struggling to make their 500-square-foot apartment or charming two-bedroom bungalow knows this all too well. But since the dawn of civilization humans have solved for this problem with one weird trick: We build up. So if you’ve got limited space but a green thumb that’s aching to be implemented, a vertical approach to your gardening is the creative and impressive strategy that will make your outdoor or indoor spaces feel lush and alive.
If you think vertical gardening is difficult or expensive, you’re wrong. And if you think there’s only one way to garden vertically, you’re even more wrong—your only limitation here is your imagination. Vertical gardening can be incredibly cost-effective, in fact, because you can whip one up using materials you might have left over from another project, or using inexpensive items you can pick up just about anywhere.
Need a nudge? Here are 11 ideas for vertical gardens that will fill your life with greenery without taking up much space.