Pond liners are design for the primary purpose of water containment. Due to the features of flexible pond liners, their use has been extended beyond just for the construction of ponds and lakes. Flexible rubber liner materials have been used to protect the inner surface of potable water storage tanks, water-proofing in buildings and creative use in gardening.

Pond liner use in vertical wooden flower-bed build

A garden pond adds an attractive feature to any outdoor space. Its beauty is further enhanced where thought and planning have also gone into landscaping the surrounding garden so that they compliment each other. When it comes to landscaping, budget is one of the main criteria for what can be achieved to create something unique that meets all the requirements of our outdoor space. Where budget is limited and possibly the main obstacle to your gardening plans, there are ways of overcoming this obstacle. If, like myself this is where you are at, there are some great ideas people have used to up-cycle unwanted items to use as plant containers or as garden features. One idea is the use of a wooden pallet, which since putting the design into reality, I have since realised it is not a unique one so you can search the web for design ideas and other ‘How to guides’. A discarded pallet can be used to create a stunning vertical flower-bed. Additional items required are chicken wire, staple gun, brackets to secure pallet to wall or fence, length of non-corrosive piping, pond liner (enough to line the back and sides of the inside area), soil, compost and plants. 

The reason for the addition of a pond liner is to contain the soil in vertical flower bed and to reduce water lose. An Epalyn pond liner is resistant to the effects of UV rays and weather conditions to wide extremes therefore it won’t degrade and won’t leach toxins into the soil therefore has no negative effect to plants. It’s flexibility also means it can easily mould into the corners of the pallet for easy installation.

Building the vertical flower garden

• Acquire a used wooden pallet (or more depending on how big an area you wish to cover)
• Paint the external surfaces of the pallet with appropriate paint in a colour of your choice or leave in current state.
• Line the back and three internal walls with a sheet of pond liner (keeping the top free to plant in appropriate plants).
• Use a staple gun to secure the pond liner to the wooden pallet.
• Secure chicken wire across the back of the pallet and nail it to the edge of the pallet. Avoid hammering the nail through the pond liner sheet.
• Decide which side is going to be the top of your flower-bed. Take the piping cut to appropriate lengths and insert into the top end – so that one goes down to bottom half and the other to the top half of the bed. These can be used as a means of watering your vertical bed without over watering and creating a water-logged problem. 
• Lay the pallet on the ground facing upwards
• Fill the internal area with soil and compost. 
• Select the plants to be added to the flower-bed and dig then into the soil. Push the soil down to make it nice and compact. Choose small plants such as succulents or trailing herbs and annuals.
• Water well and leave in a horizontal position for at least two weeks to allow the plants to take root.
• Secure the vertical bed in place and watch your stunning creation take shape over the summer.

A sheet of pond liner can be ordered from Liners Online. Contact Us for assistance in placing an order for your project.