Outdoor plant shelves look spectacular.
Plant shelves make an excellent and practical way to display plants. Only the imagination limits your choice of shelves. Purchase ornate or plain pre-made shelving in materials such as glass, wrought iron, natural stone and wood. If a limited budget does not allow for purchasing pre-made shelves, get creative and re-purpose old shelves or other items to use as plant shelves. Mixing small collectibles, like shells or other treasured items, among the plants creates a personal decorative arrangement. Does this Spark an idea?
Decorative Plant Shelves
Decorative plant shelves come in many styles. From scrolling Romanesque corbels to rustic wrought iron, the range and style vary greatly, but plants arranged on a shelf of any style become an instant focal point. Ornamental corbels and brackets used as plant shelves add sophistication and color to a lonely wall. Find ornamental corbels or brackets at building supply stores, online stores, garden centers or salvage yards. Use a wrought iron baker's rack as plant shelves. For a lush jungle feel, layer plants on a multi-tiered metal plant stand, and add a decorative table fountain. A wall shelf made of carved stone makes the perfect abode for a plant. Bookcases create interest when used as plant shelves. Individualize bookcase plant shelves by arranging beloved books and interesting knickknacks among potted plants. Search antique stores and garden supply centers alike to find decorative plants shelves.
Indoor Window Plant Shelves
Exhibiting plants in a window creates a living curtain and grants an admirable view both inside and out. Glass shelves sparkle in the sun and keep the look and feel of the window shelves clean and airy. Use cable brackets to attach glass shelves to the window framing or supports mounted flush against the inner window frame. Purchase cable hangers from home building centers or organizational stores. Arrange antique glass bottles among the shelves for added sparkle. Durable, metal shelves make no-nonsense plant shelves. Use cable hangers or flush-mounted brackets for attaching metal shelves inside window frames. Wooden window shelves bring country charm to a window display and reflect less light than glass shelving. Purchase prefab wooden shelves or cut pine shelving boards to the desired size. Attach the wooden shelves to support brackets mounted inside the window framing. Building supply centers carry various types of support brackets. Painting wooden shelves with durable paint, such as deck paint, helps lengthen the life of the shelf. Find deck paint at building supply stores. Always paint in properly-ventilated areas.
Re-purpose Vintage Items for Plant Shelves
Locating vintage items to re-purpose as plant shelving is as simple as visiting Grandma's attic, a local thrift store, a salvage yard, rummaging through the garden shed, or surfing the Internet for online stores that carry salvaged items. For a rustic look nail a board to an individually shaped stump, and top it off with an arrangement of plants in old cook pots. An antique tea cart painted crisp white, parked before a picture window and loaded with plants and treasured items, creates an ideal focal point in a Victorian parlor or farmhouse kitchen. An old step ladder makes charming plant shelves for vines or climbing plants such as ivy. Use a castoff door as a delightful backdrop for plants by mounting shelves to the door, adding a funky doorknob and sliding an antique key in the keyhole. Shutters with shelves mounted to them make excellent spots to display plants. Cut an old column in half, and use the resulting two pieces as legs for a plant shelf by attaching a board to the top of the columns. Leave re-purposed plant shelves natural, or crackle paint them to add country appeal.
Inexpensive Plant Shelf Ideas
If a tight budget hinders your creativity, use permanent architectural elements such as outdoor porch steps or railings for shelves. Inside the house, areas like breakfast bars, bookcases or large bathtub surrounds function well as plant shelves.
Tags: plant shelves, wooden shelves, wrought iron, building supply, building supply stores, cable hangers
