How to Grow an Aerial Theme Garden

The fun of gardening is to create unusual or unique gardens for your backyard or garden area. One such garden, a theme garden, is an Aerial Garden. An Aerial Garden is a garden that is suspended or elevated in the air. These gardens make use of unused space in rooms or patios, are great for small space gardening and can be used as a room divider or to create privacy.
photo credit: sarcozona

I used a pre-made garden arbor for my Aerial garden. It was only a few dollars at off-season prices and I set it up in minutes. You can also make an outdoor divider quite easily.

Outdoor Aerial Theme  Garden

1. Find or purchase two square posts that measure 2” by 8” and the length that will fit you desired location. You will also want 20 to 25 slates measuring six feet long.
2. Place the posts about 4 feet from each other. Next pour cement around the bottom of the posts to make them secure. Add the wooden slates or thin pieces of wood and attach them horizontally from one end of the post to the other. I like to find old barn board for these projects.
3. Space the slates in such a way that you will be able to hang your aerial garden from the slates. Mixing in hanging plants will give more color, texture and interest into your aerial garden area.

True aerial gardens make use of epiphytic plants, also known as air plants. These plants get there  nutrients from the air and will grow on the bark of a tree or on moss. My favorite of these air plants is the staghorn fern. Orchids and bromeliads are also popular air plants.
photo credit: cliff1066

Take the hook that is on the back of the epiphytic plants and hang it from the slates of your outdoor room divider. Stagger the way you hang the plants and mix in other hanging plants to add creativity and flair to your plant divider. colorful pots will also add to the arrangement.

You have just created a very decorative and unusual garden and created additional privacy in your backyard.

Your Epiphytic Plants can be brought in during the cooler winter months and over-wintered. You may even want to create an indoor aerial garden and mix herbs in with the Epiphytic plants. You will have added color and texture plus fresh herbs.