We all love a TikTok video, and the latest thing to have gone viral on the social media platform is vertical gardening, with videos on how to create the pretty little areas viewed more than 38m times recently. The aim of the game is to try and give an unused space a complete makeover, and to make the most of a small garden area.
Not to mention you don't need to be a gardening buff, or even have to splash the cash, to pull it off. Gardening expert and managing director of TotalLawn, Carlos Real, recently shared his tips with Hello! on how you can transform the smallest of gardens into something that looks pretty amazing. Here's how you can pull off a picture perfect garden on a budget.
What do I need to know about vertical gardening?
Carlos told Hello!: "Vertical gardening is what it says on the tin – it's a means of growing plants up rather than horizontally as you normally would. Vertical gardening provides the perfect solution to maximising small areas, by using fencing as a backdrop to create space your neighbours will be envious of."
How do I create my own?
Selecting a good structure is key
According to gardening experts, it's best to keep your garden versatile, so it's a good idea to pick a structure that can be both easily adapted and added to. When starting out, it's best to start small and then continue to add to it as time goes on, as the worst thing to do is make the space look overwhelming.
You could begin by using some pallets, which are easy to get your hands on, and can be personalised to your liking. They're easy to dress up and decorate with varnish or paint.
Put some thought into your plant choices
When you chose what plants to include you should always consider how big the space is you're working with. One of the main issues you'll come across with vertical gardens is how much sunlight they're able to get, so you need to be careful when it comes to picking which plants to include.
Certain plants can really brighten up your garden, and they don't need much sunlight to bloom either. These include lovelies like bromeliads, bird of paradise and calathea.
It's also wise to bring together a combination of colourful and trailing plants to get a good mixture of things.
Think about what you could eat
Another way to get your money's worth out of what would otherwise be an empty space is to think about growing edibles. As well as taking up less space they're also easier to look after when you're a beginner.
If you're looking for produce that don't require much space to grow look at some shallow-root vegetables like lettuce and carrots. But if it's a splash of colour you're looking to add you could also throw some tomatoes or squash into the mix.
Don't underestimate the importance of positioning
Whatever you decide to grow it's really important to think about where you're going to position everything. You need to think carefully about which plants will need more sunlight and will need the most care and attention to thrive.
Expert advice also recommends to vary between vertical-growing plants and trailing to achieve a look that looks attractive to the eye.
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