Pallet Vertical Garden

Today Rachel is sharing an adorable project she recently created; a vertical garden from recycled pallets!The chain link fence in our yard provides a few unsightly views of our lovely neighbors' weed-infested parking lot of a backyard. Since we are renters a new wooden fence was not an option and I didn't think I'd have the patience to wait on a dozen bushes to grow tall enough to block the view so I schemed an inexpensive way to at least draw attention away from the eye sore(s). A few trips to the hardware store and a local dumpster and I had created a new focal point that helped cozy up our little yard with bright colors and a bit of texture.1. Supplies: 3-4 pallets in similar sizes but varied colors. If you can't find colored pallets, consider painting a few for a similar look. Make sure they aren't rotten or warped. 6-8 empty (clean) paint buckets or large aluminum cans (think bulk sized beans) as planters. A hammer and nails for pulling planks off and nailing them together. A Dremel rotary tool is really handy for cutting through nails if you have one and want to make this a quick job. 1 bag of potting mix, flowers in two sizes, garden gloves, safety goggles, and 2-4 screw hooks if you have a chain link fence. If you are hanging this onto a wooden fence I suggest a screw hook and eye set. 2. Choose which pallet to use as your base and then pull all of the planks off except the ends and middle. Pull planks off the other pallets as well. 3. Then arrange them in a patchwork style. You may need to cut some planks to fit. Finally, nail them all down to the supporting planks. 4. Hammer nail holes into the bottoms of your paint buckets and cans for drainage. 5. Choose the side with the seam and nail two holes vertically into your paint buckets. It's okay if it flattens. One hole will work for the smaller cans. 6. Use your can holes as templates and mark where you'll nail into the pallet. To get your arrangement place the larger cans in an odd triangle on your pallet and then add smaller ones to fill in the gaps. 7. Add your nails on your marks and lean your pallet up against where you want it. Add your buckets and fill them with potting soil and plants. 8. Add hook screws to the back of your pallet to secure them to your chain link fence or hook-and-eye screws to attach them to a wooden one. Water your plants and admire your work.I added bricks under my pallet to give it enough height to be flush with the top of the fence and to keep the base from rotting. I also changed out some of my flowers that weren't doing well in this climate but stuck to the pink palette as I like how it contrasts with the blue planks. Another way to add color would be to spray paint your cans and add a poly to seal them. Create a few patchwork pallets to cover your bare areas and you'll have a whole new landscape almost over night. -Rachel