Outdoor plant shelves are a great way to spruce up a plain fence or exterior wall. I saw all sorts of variations of these shelves on garden tours this summer and thought this one was particularly beautiful. I’ll show you the supplies needed and how to make one.
If you’d like more DIY / crafty projects, see them here.
This beautiful project was photographed in Susan StLouis‘s garden in Goderich, Ontario. If you ever get a chance to see her garden on a tour—go! It’s truly unique and wonderful.
The cost for building the shelf is minimal: you need some 2x4s, burlap, and hardware cloth or chicken wire.
DIY Plant Shelf
The cost of the plants will depend on whether you want to get some unusual greens for a shady area like the one shown here or opt for less expensive annuals.
Either way, I’ve provided some how-tos below for this eye-catching DIY project.
Plant Shelf DIY Tips
Options: You can build this with lumber or convert a wood pallet. Also, instead of adding soil directly, you could also simply place small plant containers on the shelves. The product links are shown on Amazon.com but I always suggest you get them used or buy locally.
- Supplies: 2×4 lumber, wood screws, electric drill, drill bit for pilot holes, hardware cloth / small grid chicken wire, burlap, staple gun (optional), container soil, plants.
- Draw out an assembly plan for the frame, working with the dimensions of the lumber and what final size you would like the shelf to be.
- Note: “2×4” lumber is actually 1 1⁄2 in × 3 1⁄2 in (38 mm × 89 mm). Use these actual dimensions when planning your wood cuts so everything will fit.
- Tip: I like to draw up a plan and get all the cuts done at the store. If you get a good customer service rep, s/he’ll check to make sure your plan works. Easy!
- Alternately, you could use an old wood pallet and simply remove some of the cross pieces to create open planting areas.
- Use 6″ strips of hardware cloth (or chicken wire) across the face of each shelf area (front and back) to contain the planting areas. Attach with small wood screws or staples.
- Line planting areas with burlap and wrap it over edges to hide the hardware cloth. Hold burlap in place with wood staples if needed.
- Fill planting areas with container soil and add plants or add containers with plants.
Related: 12 Practical Uses for Burlap in the Garden (plus craft & decor ideas)
Related: 12 Creative Weekend Garden Projects
Pallet Flower Planter
Here’s a version made by Empress of Dirt Facebook friend Maria.
I saw this pallet herb garden on a garden tour:
Easy!
If you make an outdoor plant shelf, I’d love to see it!
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
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Nikki says
March 24, 2016 at 8:19 pmThis is really neat and it makes me wonder if a similar wood structure we have built under a window on our house was used like this by the previous owner. I look at a lot of vertical gardening posts and haven’t found this one before today somehow! I think I’ll reuse the structure on our wall for this once I get some hardware cloth. We have tonnes of burlap lying around here!
Thanks for sharing!
Marlene Stephenson says
August 6, 2015 at 3:21 pmLove this idea for shelf although i will be waiting awhile to do it, here in Okla. it is hot. I may have pinned more things than i have time for but i hope we will have a nice long cool fall. Wishful thinking ! lol
Melissa J. Will says
August 6, 2015 at 3:38 pmHi Marlene,
I keep hearing about that heat. I’m sending you some cool Canadian air!
Tarynn says
May 29, 2014 at 9:46 amI love this idea! Do you mind listing the plants you used? Are these perenials? Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa J. Will says
May 29, 2014 at 11:37 pmThis shelf is in another gardener’s garden. The plants are a variety of succulents and tropicals that will be kept indoors in the winter.
Linda aka Crafty Gardener says
May 13, 2014 at 2:46 pmneat idea for some vertical gardening
cindy Cousineau says
September 4, 2013 at 12:17 pmI love this idea. I think the burlap really adds to the effect. We are troubled with people parking on our front lawn when we have plenty of parking for 7 cars and our guest park on the grass ;-( So now I plan to take the pallets from the back yard that my husband was going to just cut up for extra wood burning and I’m going to make planters (3) to line the edge of the driveway. I’ll have to post a pic when I get it done