Mum wows with ingenious idea to reuse little one's cot bed in the garden – and it cost just £6

As the babies grow up, encourage your plants to do the same

Have you seen this growing new garden trend, championed by savvy mums everywhere. It seems mums are getting creative with outgrown nursery cot beds by turning them into vertical garden planters!

Not just the kids are growing up eh! This idea is an amazing DIY project to inspire all parents, especially those who love gardening.

More garden inspiration: Homeowner uses Victorian-style tile stencil to paint the patio

Kate O'Donoghue first shared her ingenious cot creation on the Extreme Budget DIY & Life Style Hacks Facebook group. Where it has amassed 2.1k reactions and a staggering 209 comments.

Kate's DIY cot base vertical garden planter

garden area with wooden wall and hanging plastic pots with plants

(Image credit: Kate O'Donoghue)

Kate told Ideal Home, ‘I had been looking for something to hang from our fence for some time that could hold some pots. Whilst changing my little ones cot bed to a single bed we decided to see if the base could be used in something in the garden.'

'A few coats of wood paint, Ikea plastic hanging pots and and some donated plants later and we had this. Total cost of £6! Exactly what I had in mind.’

wooden wall with hanging plastic pots and plants

(Image credit: Kate O'Donoghue)

Kate shared her DIY vertical planter with the caption, ‘Cot bed base painted, Ikea 50p clip on tubs with holes made in the bottom and some plants given to me from a friend ... tada’. 

One inspired group member writes, ’Beautiful. I have 2 cot side and was thinking what to do with it now I have seen your display I will use it for my herb garden . Thank you Kate 🙏🏽🙏🏽👌’.

Kate's creation inspired fellow group member Claire Wright to do the same too...

Claire's DIY wall planter

garden area with wooden wall and hanging plastic pots with plants

(Image credit: Claire Wright)

In the same group Claire posted, 'Turned the side of my son's old cot...into a wall planter...Lightly sanded the frame then spray painted the cot and plant baskets... 😍’.

garden area with wooden wall and hanging plastic pots with plants

(Image credit: Claire Wright)

When asked about the pots Claire tells fellow members she bought them at Home Bargains – and they were originally terracotta! What a difference a coat of spray paint can make, the new black shade makes the pots look almost galvanised. It's the perfect accent colour to make the greenery 'pop'.

garden area with wooden wall and hanging plastic pots with plants

(Image credit: Claire Wright)

‘Woww good idea’ writes one fellow group member in amazement. ‘I love this idea it's great’ shares another. And Ideal Home is in complete agreement.

Related: Five simple ways to revamp a rented garden without upsetting your landlord

Do you have a nifty upcycling project to share with our readers? Share with us in the Ideal Home Room Clinic Facebook group.

Happy DIY-ing to all.

Contributor

Tamara was Ideal Home's Digital Editor before joining the Woman & Home team in 2022. She has spent the last 15 years working with the style teams at Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, both now at Future PLC. It’s with these award wining interiors teams that she's honed her skills and passion for shopping, styling and writing. Tamara is always ahead of the curve when it comes to interiors trends – and is great at seeking out designer dupes on the high street.