- The wall was built with 12" cinder blocks
- Liquid nails were used to hold them together so there wouldn't be grout lines and would also allow for flexibility.
- The planting is new and as it fills in and starts trailing, it is going to look even better.
- The use of cinder blocks allows for many different iterations you could make depending on how much space you have.
- They are also really cheap and can be painted if you want to match them to your decor.
The coolest part is that they have a chair in their patio like the one I {found} at {The Gardener} in Berkeley!
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What an amazing idea. How do you keep the soil in the elevated blocks that stick out?
ReplyDeleteI too am curious how you keep the soil in the elevated blocks that stick out
ReplyDeleteQuote from the person who made this: "The wall was built with 12" cinder blocks (the kind you would use to build a column) and we used Liquid nails to hold them together because I didn't want grout lines and also it gave us more flexibility. In fact in order to make bottoms for the blocks that are sticking forward, we cut pieces of cinder block to fit the inside and then liquid nailed them in. We love liquid nails."
ReplyDeleteMany cinder blocks have one side thicker than the other, so if you put that side down and then fill it with concrete, you can pour yourself a bottom to it. That would seem to be a lot easier than cutting up a cinder block and using construction adhesive (i.e. "Liquid Nails") to make a bottom.
ReplyDeleteYou could also liquid nail a thin material to the bottom of the whole cinder block. (You would probably need to do so for all the blocks, so the dirt doesn't fall down the row of holes)
ReplyDeleteBut you could use thin but rigid material like plastic or tin. You may even be able to use an outdoor canvas, that way water could drain through. Another idea would be to use wood, but stain it and use the "stripe" decoratively.
This is Annette who made the original. We used cinder blocks and liquid nails because that's what we had and we didn't want to waste anything. But another way to seal the bottom is to use concrete backboard. It's easy to cut and won't rot like wood. You could also pour a concrete bottom like someone else suggested but then you would have to mix concrete which can sometimes be a pain. You could also use very fine metal screening, the heavy duty kind. The possibilities for this planter are endless.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for clarifying that! You did a beautiful job!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!!
ReplyDeletethis is the homeowner - annette is creative & amazing. as an interior designer, i greatly value the influence she has had on my exteriors.
ReplyDeletethe succulents have grown in since these photos were taken last year, and it looks even better. i highly recommend!
www.juliemaigretdesign.com
I love this. Another interesting way to garden vertically. The gals at Pot-ted are so creative and clever!
ReplyDeleteI would think that the concrete would eventually affect the ph of the soil. I'd guess anything other than a desert plant/ie. cactus or succulent would not fair too well.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if other plants would work. I was thinking of trying it with herbs.
ReplyDeleteI live in Texas and noticed that the soil dries out super fast inside the cinder block. It doesn't seem to matter with my succulents but with the mint and other herbs it does. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to increase water retention? Waterproofing?
ReplyDeleteIt is a very creative use of a pile of cinder blocks. It is great to see items re-purposed and not just thrown away. Excellent Job.
ReplyDeletewww.rootmaker.com makes a RootTrapper cinder block container that fits the cavity. Cleaner. Movable. Water conserving. And makes a great root system the whole time. I'm just saying.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an awesome find. I'm linking to it next week at DecorHacks.com!
ReplyDeletechicken wire that is a little larger than the hole and pushed down in - then a layer of weedblock fabric is great. a lot better for me...
ReplyDelete