How I Designed an Easy DIY Outdoor Living Plant Wall

Step 1: Planning and Inspiration

Before you can start to think about adding your DIY living plant wall to your home, you’ll want to think about planning out the process and the plants you are going to add. Make sure you don’t skip this step, as it’s crucial to get the results you desire. At this point, you can also add up the living wall costs associated with this project so that you have a clear idea of the budget that’s needed to get the results you desire. If you need inspiration for designing a DIY living wall, head to Pinterest, home improvement blogs and websites, or read gardening magazines to get ideas of what you could be aiming towards. Once you have a rough idea of what your end goal is, then you can start to measure out the space in your garden to add your living plant wall.

Ahead of picking up your tools to start making your DIY living plant wall, make sure you measure out the space where you are going to add this installation to your home or workplace. You might have ambitious ideas of what you want to add to your garden, only for you not to have anywhere near enough space to achieve this goal. From there, it’s time to start gathering materials before you can get to work on this fun DIY project.

Step 2: Choosing Materials and Plants

Once you have the space for your living wall system in mind, it’s time to choose the materials that will act as the base of your project. We recommend looking for a sturdy material that’s easy to work with, which for many people includes wooden pallets. These are a great option for a simple DIY project and can readily be sourced at a local warehouse or DIY store. Gather the other tools you’ll need as well, which can include landscape fabric, a staple gun, screws and a drill, wood stain or paint, soil, and the plants for living walls.

One of the most enjoyable parts of learning how to create a DIY living plant wall is choosing the best plants for your wall. You’ll want to make sure you choose a selection of textures, scents, and colours so that you can add some vibrancy to your home or workplace. Ferns and succulents are a great base option, and you can add more colour with lavender, pansies, and petunias. Trailing ivy creates a cascading effect and can flow through your wall for continuity. If you are looking for a very low-maintenance addition to your home, we recommend adding more succulents, as they require very little upkeep and watering.

Step 3: Prepping and Mounting the Pallets

Now that you have all of your materials ready to go, it’s time to start prepping the pallets to build your DIY living wall. Start by sanding and staining the pallets, which can help to protect the material from rain in the future. Let them dry before you can use landscape fabric to create planting pockets. You can staple the fabric inside the pallet slats to create a trough.

Once the pallets are ready to use, start to mount them onto your walls. It’s best to get a family member or friend to help you with this task. Use heavy-duty L-brackets and wall plugs to keep the structure secure against the wall and to ensure there is good air circulation for your plants. When answering the question of how to make a DIY living wall, you’ll want to make sure that you create a very solid base with your pallets or whatever structure you use so that you don’t have any issues as you start to add the plants. Watering is a common concern, but you can add a basic drip irrigation system which is connected to a timer on an outdoor tap.

If you’re considering a similar project, I’d highly encourage you to take it on as a DIY task. However, not everyone has the time and energy to work through these steps to create an outdoor living plant wall. If you need support creating a green wall in your home or workplace, contact our team for more information or to discuss how we can help you add a living wall to any outdoor space.