Drought-hardy, picturesque succulents have been en vogue for some time now, but perhaps seeing them yet again in petite pots and trendy terrariums is getting a little tiresome. It turns out there's another options for displaying these plants that are so simple to care for even the black thumbed among us can achieve horticultural success, and that's the succulent wall.
Displayed vertically, succulents become living tapestries that bring both color and texture to walls indoors and out. It sounds like a complex endeavor best left to a designer but creating a hanging succulent garden is actually a relatively simple project that even an inexperienced DIYer can accomplish in no time at all.
Here's a short step-by-step guide to creating your own vertical succulent garden with a few links to more information for those who want to dive into this project head first.
1. Decide how big your vertical garden will be. A small framed display of succulents is a unique living art piece that can be displayed in any room that gets sunlight. A more dramatic succulent wall will require a larger frame and of course, more space.
2. Pick the perfect spot for your garden. Most succulents do best in full sun but there are also some varieties that do well in the shade. If you have certain species of succulents in mind for your hanging garden, use their sun/shade preferences as your guide. Or if you have a spot in mind, choose species that will do well in that location.
3. Build (or buy) the frame. There are numerous ways to construct a hanging frame for succulents and instructions abound online. The By Stephanie Lynn blog in particular has written up very simple directions complete with illustrations and a specific materials list that will guide you through the process of building a frame for your vertical garden. Note: It's easiest to add soil when you're building the frame because it gives you the chance to cover it with landscaping fabric under the wire netting.
4. Select your cuttings. One of the best things about succulents is how easy they are to grow from clippings – even a small cutting will quickly root without much fuss. Friends who keep succulents can be a wonderful source of new and interesting varieties but if you're new to succulents, you may want to buy an already curated assortment.
5. Create your succulent layout. If you're working with just one or two species, then by all means place your plants as you wish. But when you're adding many species to your vertical garden plan out your design before you start. Planting succulents requires little more than poking each cutting into the soil, and most will be fully rooted in about a month.
6. Hang your succulent garden. Your frame will be heavier than it looks so be sure to hang it securely, but also hang it in such a way that you are able to take it down as necessary for weekly watering and the very occasional application of fertilizer.
From there, there's not much left to do but enjoy your hanging succulent art piece or wall. Expect that it will spark conversation – you may find yourself regularly explaining to guests how they can make a succulent garden of their own!
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