The Foolproof Guide to Making a Low-Key Living Wall–and Keeping it Alive

If you haven’t yet heard of a living wall by name, you’ve probably happened upon one while scrolling through Instagram or falling down a Pinterest k-hole: a verdant, lush jungle emerging from plaster or brick, putting your peel-and-stick wallpaper and colorful statement walls to shame.

Living walls, or vertical gardens, seem to be everywhere these days. Aesthetically pleasing and an efficient use of space, these stunning ecosystems have become popular for both their beauty and their function: they can be used to purify the air, cut down on noise pollution, and even recycle gray water. 

But gorgeous, living walls often require intensive labor, complex irrigation systems, a working knowledge of hydroponics, and high start-up costs. These aspects may make them too complex, expensive, and simply not feasible for an average apartment-dweller, novice gardener, or renter.

That said, there are several ways to put together a wall of plants that can achieve a similar look, texture and effect, for far less effort—and on a budget.

If you’d like to set up a plant wall in your own home, you will want to consider three factors: the plants themselves, the location, and the structure.

Choose your plants  

While the plants you populate your wall with may vary based on your individual set up, there are some general guidelines you should stick to for both practical and aesthetic purposes. Seek out trailing plants, which can obscure shelving and brackets as they drape down or crawl along the structure. You’ll also want to choose plants that do well in close quarters and in humid conditions. While your statement plant in the corner of a room may have air freely circulating on all sides, plants in close proximity need to be good at sharing. Pothos, ferns, ivy or philodendron are all great options for plants that fit the bill from both a functional and aesthetic standpoint.

You might also consider air plants; as they don’t require soil to grow, air plants are excellent for any sort of hanging set up, such as the wire method described below. Most air plants can be watered via regular misting (an option if they aren’t easily detachable from the structure), or a thorough soaking every one to two weeks.

Choose your placement 

While you’ll generally want to select plants that do not need direct light, sunlight is still an important factor. A wall facing a window that receives regular indirect light is ideal. Direct light is usually not necessary—luckily, most of those plants that thrive in humid conditions as described above also do well in indirect light.

Choose your design  

There are countless creative ways to arrange plants on a wall and you should allow your imagination to take you where it will. But for those seeking a bit of direction, we’ve laid out a few options below, for a variety of situations and needs.

A flexible option for the somewhat ambitious: 

Wire fencing—or steel remesh, for a sturdier option—is sold at most home improvement stores. The wire can be cut to size depending on what wall you’re working with, and then attached to the wall with a set of anchors. Trailing plants like pothos or ivy can even be woven through the wire, achieving the look of a garden trellis. A wire set up provides great flexibility if you want to change up the pattern of the wall every once in a while. No need to pack the wall tight if you prefer a more minimalist look, but feel free to fill it as much as you’d like. Pick up some plant hooks and get hanging!  

For those who want to use what they have: 

If the idea of a trip to the hardware store is too much to bear, consider repurposing a hanging fabric shoe organizer. Simply select plants small enough to fit into the slots. Be sure to also line the slots with ziplock bags or another form of plastic: you will be removing each plant to water them and the plastic protects against any leaks or collecting water once the plants are put back in. 

For those who prefer the sturdiness of a shelf: 

Floating shelves—that is, shelves with no visible support or brackets, will disappear into the wall, allowing your plants to be the center of attention. There are numerous floating shelf options available for a variety of budgets, but if you have access to some tools, you can also DIY on the cheap with standard 2x4s. 

For the renters who fear their landlord’s wrath: 

If you have a landlord chomping at the bit to keep every last nickel of your security deposit, you may understandably be wary of doing any sort of drilling into or hanging onto the wall. 

Luckily, a free-standing shelving unit can still achieve the right look. If you’re going down the free-standing road, the key is to stick with a minimalist design. Ideally the shelving will be monochromatic and/or a color that will blend into the wall (or can be painted as such), allowing the plants themselves to take center stage.

Photo by Ema Peter