Simple DIY Deck Planter Box

Today I am sharing some photos (and my first video!) of a project I completed last spring. The video is very amateur, and very silly, so consider yourself warned. I decided I needed, well wanted, a large planter box for my back deck. How nice would it be to step out my back door and snip some herbs, I thought. I also wanted something to provide some screening and privacy from my neighbor. I live in Seattle and the houses in my neighborhood are very close.

I constructed it using a highly modified version of Ana White’s sturdy work bench plan you can find here. I had previously built my work bench using this plan and it is very simple construction. If you are looking for a basic and easy DIY plan for a work bench, this one is great.

For the legs and sides of the trellis, I used basic 2 x 4’s. I was a bit worried about how they would hold up to the weather, but they are doing fine after a year and a half of full-time outdoor exposure. For added protection, I painted them with Behr exterior paint in pure white to match the trim on my house.

The front, back and side panels were constructed using simple and inexpensive cedar fence pickets cut to size. I stained them with a gray stain. I also used cedar pickets for the bottom (along with some additional cross bracing for support). I left small gaps between the pickets for drainage and lined the bottom with landscape fabric to prevent the soil from falling through. The planter is fairly deep and is holding up to the significant weight of the soil quite nicely.

Because I wanted to use this planter box for screening, I added a 6 foot high trellis to the back. I simply cut and stapled on wire rabbit fencing to the back. In spring, I grow snap peas that can twine up the trellis.

At the time I built the planter, I was experimenting with image transfer techniques, and found a vintage looking garden graphic here. I cut and painted a scrap of pine and transferred the garden graphic onto the wood. I then sanded it slightly to give it an aged look and attached it to the front of my planter box.

My daughter and I made some colorful garden markers. We just spray painted basic wood stakes from Home Depot. Using paint markers, we wrote the names of the plants on each one. Easy peasy. She actually named each and every plant last year. As in human names, like Mary, Claire, Phil, etc.

My dog Kiko is so hard to photograph. As soon as she realizes I am trying to take her photo, she runs away. I had to hide in the bushes like the paparazzi and sneak this photo of her. She was highly suspicious.

I’m growing some gorgeous kale in the planter box. I recently heard that kale is so 2014. I still like it.

I love having a fountain in my garden. Particularly because it attracts hummingbirds who visit it on a regular basis. This guy decided to visit my fountain as I was taking photos. Look closely, you can see him hovering over the fountain.