Small garden ideas that use rope

This year (2021) the

is going digital. For the first time in its 108-year history, the real-life event has been postponed until September (due to COVID-19). And in addition, a virtual event will take place from 17

-23

May – in which amazing videos, top gardening tips and exclusive peeks into celebrity gardens will all be posted online. To celebrate this change, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) joined forces with the BBC’s The One Show and launched a special competition. They asked people to share images of their green spaces. And crucially, it didn’t matter how big or

that green space was. It just needed to look good. Which got us thinking… Not everyone has a large garden. Maybe you only have a small patio? Or even just a balcony or windowsill? But it’s still possible to make it look spectacular and enjoy the beauty of flowers. And to give you a little inspiration, we thought we’d round up a few of our favourite

. They’re all really easy to do. You just need a couple of pretty flowering plants and some rope. So, why not have a go? Get green-fingered this spring and create something beautiful. The RHS competition has now closed – but you can still get involved by showing off your small garden creations using

. And if you do decide to try one of our ideas, we’d love to see the photos too – so be sure to send them to

.

3 vertical gardening ideas for a small garden

1. Rope hanging baskets

Hanging baskets are a fantastic

, instantly adding a touch of vertical interest and colour. And there are numerous ways to make your own using our

. For example, you could create a small basket by winding the cord tightly around a plant pot and securing it in place with a hot glue gun. A detailed guide on how to do this can be found

. But the process is really straightforward and the results are contemporary and stylish. Alternatively, you could make a macramé hanger. Lots of free patterns can be found online. And again, whether you’re a macramé beginner or expert, these are very easy to make. Simply knot up a few different designs, add your favourite succulents, and hang them up along your fence.

2. Vertical rope garden

This is another great way to add an abundance of plants to your garden,

an abundance of space! Multiple vertically-aligned planters can be filled with flowers, succulents, herbs, fruit, veg – absolutely anything you wish. Turning a previously bare wall into a beautiful, living work of art. The easiest way to create a vertical rope garden is using woven rectangular baskets. Or if you’re on a budget, even just using empty plastic bottles from the kitchen! To create a rustic and traditional look, you can either use a

– such as

or

or try synthetic hemp which looks natural but can withstand outdoors conditions better. To add a splash of colour to the feature,

also works well. But either way, the method is the same. Simply cut the rope, thread it through the corner of the first basket and tie a double-knot. Thread it through the corner of the second basket, tie a double knot. And so on. If you’d prefer something a little sturdier, another idea is to create a vertical rope garden using five wooden planks – with openings to put in your pots. The planks can be evenly spaced between two lengths of rope and secured in place using knots or heavy-duty cable ties.

3. Kokedama

Kokedama are a huge horticultural trend at the moment. Essentially, they’re Japanese-style hanging baskets. Due to their vertical nature, they offer an innovative way to add

– and are actually pretty easy to make. A thorough step-by-step guide on

can be found in our previous blog. But in a nutshell, it involves wrapping the roots of a small plant in soil, sheet moss and tying it together with

. You can experiment with different plants and sizes. And to create an interesting hanging feature in your outdoor space, simply tie them along a wall or suspend them from your window.

Start your vertical gardening project today

If you fancy sprucing up your small outdoor space with our

, we have everything you need to get started. From high-quality cotton ropes that are perfect for macramé planters to strings and twines that are ideal for making kokedama. We have it in stock, affordably priced, and ready for delivery to your home address. So, why not browse our full online range today? And if you do take photos of your small garden creations, remember, we’d love to see them. You can either send them to us via

and we’ll post them on our social media pages. Or if you prefer, you can post the photos yourself and tag us on Twitter (@ropesdirect), along with

.