It's Never Too Cold to Craft: Create a DIY Wall Garden

The bones of winter have gripped us hard this year, and my longing for spring becomes more urgent every day. As I type, 8 – 12 inches of fresh snow are softly covering up months-old layers from previous blizzards. To say that I’m ready for spring is an understatement! So, if I can’t see any green plant life outside, I might as well fix some up inside my home. Thus, a mini wall garden was born.
 

 If you want to give this project a try, you will need:

• A wooden dowel (mine is 4 feet long and 1 inch thick)
• A thrifted belt
• Plenty of thin rope
• Three plants
• Three thrifted containers
• Two nails
• A hammer
• Scissors
• A tape measure.

Start by settling your plants into their new containers, then cutting two strips from the belt that are long enough to loop around the dowel and attach to the wall. Mine are each 11 inches long.

Next, you will get your straps ready to hang by folding them in half and hammering a nail through both layers of each strap. I put my nail about 1 1/2 inches down from the top edge. With a partner (for extra hands and a second opinion), hold the dowel up to the wall and figure out about where you want it to be. Since it will hold some weight, you should find wall studs for extra sturdiness. Use the level to make sure that your dowel is straight then mark with a pencil the spots where you will nail your straps into the wall. Keep in mind that if your dowel is any longer or if your plants are heavier, you might consider adding another leather loop in the center for extra support. Now you can hammer those straps into place!
 

 Next, start working on your macramé plant hangers! I first tried this method out for another post that I did about this time last year. It was so easy and I loved the look, so I decided to do it again with this project. Get the macramé tutorial here, make one hanger for each plant you have and slide everything into place!
 

When you’re picking out planters, think outside of the box! Any jar, tin, mug or vase can really become a planter, and Goodwill always has plenty of these. If you find enough mismatched planters that you love, painting them all the same color will create a sense of unity amongst them. You may even consider painting your dowel to match! Head to Goodwill for your supplies and while you’re there, remember that they provide support services – including financial skills strengthening, youth mentoring, and other services for youth and families – that enable people from all backgrounds to obtain and maintain economic independence and an increased quality of life. Give yourself a pat on the back for helping Goodwill with this mission! Your support makes a huge difference.

xx, Julia