Gardening happens in the ground, right? Most of us operate under this assumption, so when Pamela Anderson took to Instagram to bring her fans on a tour of her Vancouver Island vegetable garden, we were immediately struck by how lifted everything looks.
Rather than sprouting straight from the soil, most of Pamela Anderson's plants have some element of vertical growing. From raised beds to trellises to vine-covered pergolas to living walls, nearly every plant is elevated. Between these height-adding elements, Pamela has added pea gravel to create a pretty walkable path.
Her vertical gardening method is brilliant for both design and practical reasons. It helps her vegetables and vining plants grow better, but it also just creates a nicer environment to walk around.
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To explore replicating her vertical vegetable gardening idea, Homes & Gardens curated an edit of pieces needed to plant like Pamela. Then, we spoke with garden experts about the best ways to bring height to any garden. With these tips, you'll have a Pamela-worthy outdoor space in no time.
Recreate Pamela Anderson's Look at Home
This easy-build raised bed makes planting a large, and thriving vegetable garden. The exquisite design and superior quality make it perfect for any gardener, and they are seen throughout Pamela's outdoor space.
If you want to add a garden trellis but aren't sure where to start, this affordable and durable arch is the perfect jumping-off point. They could be lined up one after another for more of a 'hallway' look like we see at Pamela's house.
This elegant wooden pergola echoes the style seen in Pamela's garden. Its timeless design looks stunning when adorned with climbing wisteria or tomato plants.
Gravel pathways help to prevent weeds and can help scare off burglars or unwanted pests. These stones have exceptional color variety for a path that is as stylish as it is practical.
Tomato cages are designed to support and guide plants as they grow, helping them stay upright and healthy throughout the season. This green set includes three square-shaped steel cages that provide a sturdy structure, reduce plant strain, and make harvesting easier by keeping fruit more accessible and off the ground.
These plant stakes are versatile supports that can be used in a variety of ways around the garden, starting with your tomato plant. They can be assembled into bamboo trellises, adapted as supports for climbing plants, or arranged to form simple fencing structures.
As we've stated before, Pamela Anderson's pergola is one of our absolute favorite parts of her backyard, and it's easy to bring the charm of this accent to any outdoor space.
Emily Green, garden maintenance expert at Howarth Timber advises: 'A pergola is one of the most effective ways to introduce structure and comfort to an outdoor space. It creates a defined zone for relaxing or entertaining while providing welcome shade during sunny days. For a Mediterranean-inspired look, use natural timber and climbing plants to spiral around the wood.'
We're also obsessed with the arched, plant-covered hallway that Pamela Anderson walks through on her garden tour. This look can be recreating by bringing a trellis into your vegetable garden.
'A timber trellis is a simple addition that can make a significant visual impact,' Emily recommends. 'It introduces height and texture while providing valuable support for climbing plants, helping to create a greener and more immersive outdoor environment.'
In addition to the vertical elements, how you add interest to the ground is equally important in creating the visual contrast that makes the height of Pamela's garden so successful. As she shows, landscaping with gravel or smooth stones is the perfect place to start.
Emily states: 'The pale tones of light-colored stones help reflect light, keeping spaces feeling bright and airy, while the natural texture adds depth and authenticity. Gravel is also a low-maintenance option that supports good drainage in sunny gardens.'
If you have more limited space in your small garden, you can still grow upwards like Pamela, by relying on the built spaces you already have at home. Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, advises: 'A wall, fence, or balcony railing covered in climbing plants looks far better than a bare one and takes up almost no ground space at all. Jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis, and roses are the classic climbers, all reliable, all fragrant. A trellis or two is usually all you need to get them started.'
As gardening trends lean towards the achievable, this type of vertical gardening has grown ever more popular. 'Living walls have become genuinely practical in recent years too,' explains Julian. 'A panel of succulents or hardy perennials fixed to a fence is low maintenance, looks great year-round, and turns what's usually blank space into something worth looking at.'
Pamela teaches us that sometimes, the best things in the garden are found when we look up. It's a reminder that structures like trellises and pergolas are not only functional, but design-led additions to our outdoor spaces.
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