Skip to main content

Here’s how to choose the best plants for your vertical garden

Vertical gardens are a beautiful way to add visual interest to your garden, yard, or living space. They don’t take up much room, but they are instantly eye-catching and a great conversation starter. Once you’ve gotten your frame together, where do you go from there? You have to put plants in it, but which ones are right? How can you make sure that your vertical garden is the best it can be? Here is a simple-to-follow guide for selecting the best plants for vertical gardens.

Clinging plants

Vertical garden of succulents of different shades of green in a swirl pattern

Think of clinging plants like stud earrings. They’re the plants that stay relatively short and close to the frame. These plants are going to be the base of whatever pattern you’d like to form. They’re the polka dots of plants, and, while they may not be the first thing people see when they look at your garden, they form a steady, stable background.

Most succulents fall into this category. Echeveria in particular is a popular standard for vertical gardens. They form lovely rosettes and come in a variety of colors, from pearl to blue princess. They look sweet and will hold fast.

Sedum is another succulent that does well in vertical gardens. Unlike echeveria, it doesn’t form rosettes, instead branching out, with oval leaves on narrow stems. There are a wide range of colors, but something that all sedum has in common is that it will spread. They look a bit like vines, but vertical.

Hanging plants

Vertical garden of vines of different colors and shapes

If clinging plants are stud earrings, then hanging plants are your dangles. They’re plants that grow vines or drape themselves dramatically down over the garden. These plants are great for breaking up space or hiding blank areas of the garden. Strategically placed vines can even hide the frame itself. They add a little bit of visual interest to your vertical garden — an extra dimension, if you will.

Ivies are wonderful for this role. English ivy has a distinctly stately appearance, while Japanese ivy has a more unique appearance. These ivies will climb just about anything, so keep an eye on them and train them carefully to avoid your garden being overrun.

Pothos, sometimes called devil’s ivy, has a similar appearance but is a little less aggressive. It’s also a better fit for planting in the vertical garden, rather than at the base climbing up. Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants to grow entirely in water.

If you’d like something a little more floral, you can add flowering vines, such as morning glory. Flowering vines are a great way to add some color and scent to your vertical garden. There are vines that flower in all different colors, so you can be sure to find something to match the general aesthetic!

Accent plants

Vertical garden that is mostly green foliage with some highlights of purple

Following the earring metaphor, accent plants would be your flashiest pair. They’re the pop of color or texture that simultaneously stands out and pulls everything together. These plants can be clinging or hanging, but they always have something that sets them apart. You can have more than one, or more than one type, but be sure to coordinate them to avoid unpleasant clashes.

This category depends mostly on the other plants you’ve picked, or the general aesthetic you’re aiming for. A flowering plant like nasturtium or roses could stand out nicely in a mostly green wall, but if your vertical garden is already flower-heavy, you may have better luck with a striking green foliage plant like a fern.

Arranging your garden

The best first step is to sketch out a simple chart of what design you’d like your vertical garden to follow. This can be an extravagant design, with spirals and color gradients, or it can be simple and minimalistic, with a few vines on the edges and a few colorful plants in the center. There’s no wrong way to arrange your garden! It’s yours, after all.

Once you’ve charted your design and selected your plants, arrange them on the ground before planting them. This gives you the opportunity to see your design in 3D and make any adjustments.

Finally, you’re ready to plant your plants and put up your vertical garden! Now you know the basics for picking plants and designing your garden. Remember that, in the end, as long as you’re happy with the way your garden looks, that’s all that really matters.

Editors' Recommendations

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Amazing tips for forget-me-nots care so they don’t take over your garden
Everything you need to know about growing forget-me-nots
A bumble bee on blue forget-me-not flowers

If you’re looking for a dainty, lovely flower to use as a ground cover in your garden, you can’t go wrong with forget-me-nots. Delicate in appearance but deceptively hardy, they make the perfect additions to cottage or woodland-style landscape designs. However, these sweet-looking flowers are native to Europe and invasive in the U.S., and they can quickly spread out of control.

If you want to grow these beautiful flowers without them taking over your garden, this is the guide for you. To keep your flower healthy and under control, this forget-me-nots care guide will break down everything you need to know.

Read more
Growing squash vertically is easy with these simple tips
How to successfully add squash to your vertical garden
White squash growing on trellis

From delicious pumpkin pie to savory grilled zucchini, the squash family has something for everyone. It's no wonder so many gardeners want to add them to their gardens! In addition to being delicious, squash are easy to grow vegetables, and they come in so many different varieties you're almost guaranteed to find one that fits your gardening style.

The problem is that squash take up a lot of room. The vines will grow over anything, potentially even your other plants, and tend to climb out of their beds into the yard, walkways, or whatever else is in their path. The solution to this? Grow them vertically! If you've never tried growing squash vertically, this simple guide will help get you started.

Read more
9 low-maintenance outdoor potted plants your patio needs to be its brightest, most inviting self this summer
Add color to your patio with these low-maintenance potted plants
A patio with colorful potted plants surrounding a bench.

It's hard to resist the call of warm weather. Sitting outside on your patio with your friends or just a good book can be so relaxing, and adding your favorite flowers to the mix makes it even more so! Some bright colors and interesting plants could liven up this gathering spot, but what if your thumb isn't even remotely green? No problem. We've collected our 9 favorite low-maintenance outdoor potted plants for you to add to your patio. Whether you need sun-loving flowers, plants that prefer shade, or shrubs to fill the space, this guide to low-maintenance patio plants is sure to satisfy.

Have a patio that gets baked by the sun all day? Try these plants
Many of our favorite plants would wither up and die if exposed to the harsh sun all through the day. Here are some sun-loving beauties that thrive in full sun and are resistant to drought. 
Marigolds
Marigolds are one of the most popular flowering plants to place in pots on front porches or back decks. With their bright yellow and orange blooms, it's easy to see why! Not only are they gorgeous flowers, but they require almost effortless care. They prefer to dry out between waterings, and they love full sun. That means you can let them hang out in the sun and not worry about killing them if you miss a watering day.

Read more