Although it may not seem like it some days, Spring is rapidly approaching. And with it, all the colors, scents, and blooms of life anew. So instead of framing a picture to remind you of warmer days to come, why not frame a whole garden?

Whether you reside in an urban condo or a sprawling suburban property, if you’ve got a bare wall that needs beautifying, you can easily tend to edibles, annuals or perennials with a vertical garden display. More of a brown thumb than a green thumb? No problem! If you follow a few simple steps, you’ll have a lush, living wall in no time.

1. Choose your plants

Maintaining an indoor herb or succulent garden is relatively simple. And with a unique wall-mounted indoor garden display, it’s the perfect way to bring some green into your indoor space. When choosing plants for your display, make sure that each plant has the same “habit”–that is, all-sun, all-shade or half-exposure. If you were to mix two or more plants with different needs together, the more aggressive kind would take over and shade out the other.

Consider planting various herbaceous plants with the same light requirements together, like parsley, cilantro, oregano and thyme. Not only is it a tasteful display, but a tasty way to add flavor to your dishes with herb garden right in your own kitchen.

If choosing succulents, be sure to mix and match colors for a “rainbow” effect and get creative with your layout!

2. Choose your placement

A vertical garden can go just about anywhere – indoors or outdoors. Let the type of sun exposure the plants will need determine where you place the garden. For example, if you’re planning on including succulent plants or cacti into your display, you’d want to choose a space that has half-exposure, as opposed to full shade or full sun. If you’re growing herbs, you’d want to pick a bright, sunny spot in your home.

3. Start with a great foundation

If you find yourself needing a frame to hold your creation, stop by Custom Picture Framer and we can explore options together. In general, wooden frame gardens are known to generally keep the soil together better than any other design. This is perfect if you’re looking to use larger plants, or ones that don’t have extensive root growth, like succulents.

Or if you’d prefer a more modular design, consider creating a “hangable garden” using terracotta pots. This is a great option if you plan to swap out herbs frequently or bring certain plants outdoors for a little extra light.

No matter if you choose edible or ornamental plants for your display, having a living wall is a great way to bring nature into your home or office, offering a green space alternative to urban or man-made environments. Best of all, it establishes a feel-good connection between plants and people!