Outdoor Leaning Garden Planter

Alrighty folks, summer has officially hit and that means it’s time to put on your bermuda shorts and tank tops (or in my case, a kaftan, as nothing else seems to fit quite right at this stage of the pregnancy) and enjoy the great outdoors. Summer is about spending time in the sun, enjoying the company of those you love and doing easy DIY projects, all whilst getting scorched by the sun…am I right? So put this one on the calendar for next weekend, because not only is this outdoor leaning garden a great DIY for the family, it’s beautiful, useful and just might make your green thumb a little more green.

Here’s what you will need:

Premade 6′ Pre-treated Wood Railing: We sourced ours from the local Home Depot, however your local hardware store or fencing company may have one as well.

Garden Pots: Try to get a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and styles. We even incorporated a large rectangular planter at the bottom. Just make sure that they either have a lip on them or someway that you can attach twine to hang them from the railing.

Stain or Paint: We went with a darker stain just to give the wood a little bit of character, but you could also paint it out, give it a white wash or leave it as is, as the railing is pre-treated wood and ready for whatever the outdoors brings it’s way.

Paintbrush: For applying your stain or paint.

Twine or Rope: You will use this to wrap around the lip of your pots to attach them to the railing.

Hooks/Tacks/Nails: We used upholstery tacks to hang the pots up. As long as they aren’t too heavy a nail will work as well. Otherwise, if your plants are a little heftier, try using simple screw-in hooks.

Plants: Have fun with it, you could turn it into an herb garden, a succulent oasis, a lush forest of ferns, or anything in between. You could even bring it inside and fill it with beautiful house plants and trailing vines.

Step 1: Give your railing a good coat of stain. We used a brush (too keep it from getting too messy) but sometimes it is easier just to throw down a drop cloth and use an old rag to rag stain the piece. It makes getting into the corners and an even coverage very easy as well. If stain is not your thing then go with whatever paint color you want.

Step 2: Using your twine or sisal rope wrap just below the lip of your pots 2-3 times and then secure it in the back with a knot. Then use the extra ends make a small loop for your pot to hang off of your hook or nail.

Step 3: Plan out where you would like your plants and start attaching them to your railing using your hooks or tacks. Play around with the arrangement until you find just the right combo. Just make sure that you keep the heaviest plants down towards the bottom so that it doesn’t get too top heavy.

How easy is that? Now get outside and have fun with it.

**Photography by David Tsay, styled by Scott Horne, DIY projects produced by Brady Tolbert for EHD (art directed by me).

Want more DIYs? Check out our other recent Redbook projects: Book Bookends |1 Lamp 3 Ways | DIY Upholstered Headboard | DIY Wooden Dowel Coat Rack | DIY Mod Podge Chair | DIY Side Table Ikea Hack.