One of the things I wanted when we bought our place last year a backyard. Due to cost, we opted for a nicely sized enclosed patio without having to put down a half a million on a home. As I’m going on six months of unemployment, I glad we went that route without having to worry about our mortgage. We made due with what we had and got a nice vertical garden.
Two posts hold up the patio covering and we drilled two wooden slats into the posts to attach the gutters.
One long plastic rain gutter is divided into three segments. And six end caps siliconed onto the ends of the gutters end keep the dirt in. (Screws with washers attach the gutters to the horizontal wood slab between the posts.) Gutters are available in vinyl or metal but we went with vinyl. Vinyl doesn’t overheat the dirt and plants and they were easier to drill holes into.
When the gutters were originally put up, I had lettuce, strawberries and herbs on each level but this year I settled on herbs Chives, sage, thyme, basil and tarragon are just a few that I use frequently. (The top gutter is still awaiting new plants.) Other potted plants that make up our patio garden is a meyer lemon tree that has some fruit appearing, a newly revived mint plant handed down from friend and food blogger, Marie, when she left for Nebraska and a random potted plant.
I love having herbs available outside my kitchen for cooking and out of reach of a very curious dog.
My Burning Kitchen 
How did your strawberries do in them last year? I’m trying to figure out a better system for my strawberry plants. Right now they’re in a low “raised” garden bed but the dogs have decided they love berries (and Sadie keeps breaking off branches of the asian pear tree for a snack) so I want to get them up higher. Rain gutters seem easier than trying to build a 3-foot platform garden bed.
They did just ok. I think the gutters were too too shallow to encourage maximum strawberry growth. Have you looked into a hanging strawberry plant where it hangs upside down? I’ve read reviews on Amazon and some people rave about them. I’m looking into for next year.
I had a hanging tomato plant one year but I don’t think I fed it correctly. I only got 1 tomato off of it. But maybe strawberry plants do better in hanging baskets than tomatoes.
What a great idea! I love the way it looks and seems pretty simple to maintain.
Me again…Bert wants to know if the posts are fixed into your concrete or house or if it’s just leaning/propped against your house.
The bottom of the posts are embedded in concrete since they hold up the patio covering. We tried drilling the gutter into the concrete wall but it was impossible!
Such a cute idea! Having fresh herbs readily available is one of the best things ever.
I agree! If only baking powder, flour, sugar, eggs etc., could be grown in a garden too — I would be set!
What a fabulous and eco-friendly way to use gutters! As much as gutter guards are very helpful, they have no place here with these beauties. But, maybe homeowners with little living space dreaming of having a garden can take a cue from this nifty idea.
Thanks!