How to make your own Hanging Moss Garden

Step 1: Bike Tire Rim

Salvage yards and Scrap Metal yards are a good place to start!

Step 2: Chicken Wire

Cut chicken wire to double the size of the bike rim, with 2-4 inches extra on the edges. Using wire cutters, snip a quarter of the way up the length of the chicken wire to slip around the centre post of the rim. Slide the chicken wire through the spokes so there are spokes behind and spokes in front. Once you've slipped the chicken wire through the spokes, twist the snipped edges of the centre slit back together.

The chicken wire holds the garden to the bike rim, and helps keep the soil inside the rim.

Step 3: Landscape Fabric

Cut fabric to the size of the bike rim, plus a couple inches extra on all sides. Cut a slit halfway up the fabric in the middle to slip around the centre post of the rim. Slide the fabric through the spokes to sit directly on the chicken wire.

The fabric holds the soil in place.

Step 4: Soil

Add soil to the fabric, making sure the fabric's edges remain over the rim's edges so the soil doesn't fall out.

Step 5: Add Plants

Plant your chosen shade plants in the soil!

Step 6: Add Moss

Add moss to your garden to cover up the uncovered soil--this prevents the soil from falling out.

Step 7: Secure the Back

I built this garden on the tailgate of my truck. You can do it on a table, or anything with an edge that you can slide the rim partially off to get underneath to secure the back. Cut some of the extra chicken wire to use as ties to secure the chicken wire inside the garden to the back spokes of the garden.

Step 8: Complete the Front

Cut off the extra landscape fabric or tuck it into the edges, ensuring that there are no gaps at the back or sides for the soil to escape.

Fold over the remaining chicken wire and twist to the chicken wire sticking out from underneath the soil and fabric. Cut off the corners and tuck the prickly wires into the soil. Make sure there are no gaps!

The small plants will fit through the holes in the chicken wire, but if you're nervous about breaking them, just snip out small sections of the chicken wire to fit around the plants: nothing will fall out because you've put the moss there! Once the plants' roots develop and the moss thickens, you can cut away the entire front bit of the chicken wire, leaving the sides to retain the soil and the back, obviously.

Step 9: Hang 'er Up!

Hang your Hanging Moss Garden in your chosen shady area using good nails or screws or mounting brackets if you like.

Water well, and remember that moss likes to stay wet, so keep it moist.