Landscaping Ideas for Side Stairways

Trellis Structures

• Adding a trellis to the space below your stairs creates a living wall when combined with vines. Make a trellis structure by simply installing several rows of metal wires into the wall below your side stairs or by installing a prefabricated wooden trellis. Some vines, such as wisteria, have a vigorous growth habit and grow without a trellis. However, most flowering and evergreen vines require training the vine onto the trellis, as well as seasonal pruning to maintain the plants health.

Container Gardening

• Adding flowers, herbs or other plants to your stairway with container gardening adds color to your side entrance. Whether choosing to plant containers on the stair railings or freestanding pots on the stairs, container gardening allows you to place plants where you like. It also allows you to easily move them. Many plants grown in containers can be brought indoors through winter to serve your home decorating needs all year. Ensure that there is enough space on your stairs so that planting containers do not make passing the stairs hazardous.

Hanging Baskets

• Hanging baskets accentuate side stairways. Hanging baskets planted with trailing plants provide the illusion of bringing down tall vertical structures. Hanging baskets allow you to take advantage of space not usually available for growing plants. They are particularly useful for houses with little garden space. Hanging baskets are easy to plant and maintain when placed along stairways, as they require no bending. There are many vines and flowers commonly available that readily grow in hanging baskets.