Chic Tiled Herb Garden

This project was a little time-consuming when you factor in all the drying times at the various steps. However, it was such a gratifying project to work on, and the final result is just so stunning that all the waiting time is worth it. If you’ve never tiled or grouted anything, don’t be intimidated…I didn’t use any fancy supplies or techniques – all my supplies can be found at a craft store and hardware store.

Here’s what you need:

The first step is to cut down your wood strips to the correct size. Measure where you want your wood strips to be, in my case it was down the center of each side, nestled in between the vertical supports. My cuts were 7.25″. If you don’t have the capability to cut wood at home, ask the friendly folks at your hardware store – they’ll do it for you if you have your measurements ready!

A quick note – cut and fit each slat as you go. On my planter, not each one fit perfectly – some needed to be cut down a bit more to squeeze in.

When using wood glue, it really is best to clamp your items in place while they dry. Unless you have a ton of clamps, the easiest way to clamp your wood is to use a forth slat stretched perpendicular to your glued slats. Give each side at least 30 minutes to dry before rotating your planter and moving on.

As you move around the box, make sure your slats line up horizontally so that they look even and part of the original design!

Next, paint your planter. I started with two light coats of primer followed with two light coats of white spray paint. Let your planter dry thoroughly before moving on.

The next step is optional but totally fun. Tape off the top rim and paint the inside of the planter a coordinating color. Although most of the planter is filled with soil, the top inch or so can be seen, and the punch of color adds an unexpected pop!

While my paint was drying, I readied my tile. I would have loved to be able to just cut 2×8 tile strips and lay them right into my channels, but they wouldn’t quite fit – shucks. Instead of cutting all the tiles apart and placing each one by hand, I cut the tiles into 1×2 strips.

Using the mosaic tile glue’s instructions, I attached my tiles to the channels made by the wooden slats. I covered the channel with glue and also placed a dollop of glue on each tile. I carefully placed my tiles into the channel, evenly spacing them as I went. This is where the waiting game really begins: it can take about 2 hours for the glue to really set…so, tile one side, take a 2 hour break, and then tile the next side and so on.

Per the glue’s instructions, I let my planter sit overnight so it could really cure. The next morning, it was time for grout!

Again, I used the instructions on the side of the container to apply the grout. Instead of using fancy tools (because of the small space I was working in), I just found it easier to use my fingers to apply, wipe, and smooth the grout. It was messy but worked better than any tool I could find! After letting the grout dry for 20 minutes, I went back with a wet sponge and water and cleaned the whole thing up!

One more buff with a dry t-shirt and my planter was ready to go! Ain’t she pretty???

I’m a little impatient when it comes to plants, so instead of starting with seeds, I bought some herbs already sprouted and ready to go right into my planter!

Some potting soil and a few minutes later, my herb garden was up and running!

Although this planter would be fine outside, my intention was to bring it into my dining room where it can get lots of natural light but is safe from our persistent deer and other neighborhood “pets.” 🙂