I Don’t Have Room for a Garden, So I’m Copying My Mother-in-Law’s Clever Plant Trick

My whole backyard is almost completely covered in stone pavers, making it a 100% paver patio. That’s just what was here when we bought our house, and this probably wouldn’t be so surprising if I was still living in the city. In the ‘burbs, though, it’s a little more uncommon. I’d love to put grass back in one day, but the silver lining is pavers are low-maintenance and easier on the earth than a lawn. But how I miss flowers and greenery! Aside from a hydrangea bush that blooms in the summer and some mums that spring up near the garage in the fall, there aren’t really beds or soil to speak of for planting.

That’s why I’m always looking for unique ways to work more pots and planters into my outdoor setup. I have a few on our deck and flanking our outdoor sofa, but that’s about it. I wanted an idea to get creative about it, and admired designer Jennifer Hunter’s plant stand method for starters. But then I visited my husband’s parents’ home this past weekend, and I’m going to steal my mother-in-law’s smart idea instead: She used a kitchen baker’s rack out on her patio to display a bunch of pots and planters full of gorgeous blooms. 

Repurposing a baker’s rack works incredibly well for creating an instant “garden” because these pieces tend to be built upward. So you get a lot of vertical display space for a relatively small footprint. As you can see, my MIL managed to fit at least 7 planters on hers — it’s hard to see the exact number of pots with all that floral bounty! 

For her, this solution works perfectly, because while she has a nice-sized brick patio, her yard is shared and slopes off into woods pretty quickly regardless. The baker’s rack not only gives her surface area for plantings, but it also provides a nice little living privacy “fence” of sorts. She even has a second similar piece at the other end of her setup.

The best way to pull this off, I think, would be to find a rack that’s sturdy and made of powder-coated steel or iron — both of which are able to stand up to the elements outside. Resin would probably work well, too, with a durable coating. I’d just be afraid of anything wood, unless you could somehow find a teak version.

I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for styles at salvage yards and thrift stores this summer (so I don’t have to spend a small fortune on one of these). And you can find them new as well. Here’s a version from Amazon (just above) that comes in under $200, which isn’t bad considering all of the shelf space it provides. Assembly should be fairly easy, from what I can tell. 

If I can’t find the ideal material out there, I’m OK with a little bit of patina, considering I like a bit of vintage charm. I can’t wait to take this cooking staple out of the kitchen and try it in my yard. You just might want to do the same — especially if you have a small yard.