I love filling my small patio with plants but it's quickly running out of room. That's why I've been exploring ideas to use vertical space and maximize my patio's capacity, and nothing has been more effective than plant shelves.
A plant shelf is exactly what it sounds like, a shelf to display plants on. I haven't been able to find one with as many tiers as the IKEA RUNMARÖ Plant Shelf. It has four spacious shelves that can be used to elevate plants and store tools, compost, and other outdoor items.
It's the perfect vertical garden solution for a balcony, with a slim design that fits neatly against a wall. It can even be used for extra storage indoors. For $34.99, this plant shelf is an affordable and easy way to instantly double your small growing space.
This dark gray shelf unit can be used both indoors and outdoors, with four shelf spaces. It's made of durable plastic that can be easily wiped clean. It's lightweight and easy to assemble. It comes with clips to attach multiple shelves together and create a bigger unit.
Why Shoppers Love It
As mentioned, if you're looking for a patio idea or balcony idea to make your space feel bigger, opting for vertical solutions is effective.
The IKEA RUNMARÖ Plant Shelf is an easy solution to use vertical space. With four shelves, it has a large capacity for potted plants and garden tools.
'This shelving unit is sturdy, a great size, and best of all very simple to put together,' one five-star reviewer writes.
Other shoppers also agree it's easy to assemble: 'Assembles in 4 minutes,' one person says.
It measures 52" tall and 23" wide, perfect for fitting in smaller spaces, whether indoors or outdoors.
'We use this shelf now as storage for our office closet, and due to it's size, it can fit in to some really narrow spots easily,' one shopper describes.
And if you do have more space to work with, this shelf has a modular design: 'Clips are included to connect several in a row,' one reviewer writes.
You can even combine it with other storage units in the RUNMARÖ series, like this IKEA RUNMARÖ cabinet.
Perhaps the only downside to note is that it isn't the most beautiful item. One shopper even suggests a white color would give it a cleaner look than the dark gray.
Nevertheless, as this satisfied reviewer writes: 'If you just need something quick put together for storage and aren't worried about aesthetic, this is absolutely the one I recommend!'
For $34.99, you can't go wrong with this garden storage staple to add layers and save space in your patio garden.
Shop Our IKEA Garden Edit
These self-watering inserts ensure your plants don't dry out. Fill them with water and insert in the soil for water to drip out slowly and keep roots hydrated.
This beautiful flower box is constructed of acacia wood. It comes with brackets to mount to the wall, or it can be placed at table height or on the ground.
This watering can is ivory and gold. It has a long, narrow spout, perfect for watering houseplants and outdoor container plants alike. It's made of galvanized steel.
How I'd Style It
The joy of a simple shelf unit like this is that you it gives you a blank slate to style up. Displayed with container garden plants, you can really elevate it.
I would personally opt to put trailing vines on the top shelf to elegantly cascade. This English ivy from Plant Addicts is a good choice, providing evergreen color.
To achieve a potting table look, you can stack these terracotta pots from Amazon on one of the shelves. This will not only keep them organized, but also give your patio or balcony a rustic feel.
The bottom shelf is perfect for keeping your watering can and hand gardening tools out of the way. I'd pair it with these IKEA pine storage boxes.
By joining multiple shelves together, you can create an effective living wall look by placing lots of potting plants next to each other full of lush foliage. These ferns from Nature Hills are a top choice for this.
What to Shop
This plant stand can be used indoors and outdoors. It has a lower wooden shelf and an upper white steel shelf.
These hanging wall planters are chic. You get two in this set, with each having slats to hang pots on.
This beautiful raised garden bed has two tiers and a trellis, making it a space-saving vertical garden structure.
A plant shelf also offers a space-saving way to grow vegetables, by positioning pots vertically. Just take care to keep on top of watering during summer, as this is one of the main reasons why vertical gardens fail in summer – they dry out much more quickly than plants growing in the ground.
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