Lidl Parkside wooden planter with trellis for just under £30

Many balconies and compact gardens look bare, drab and rather uninviting after winter. Lidl is now bringing a compact piece of garden furniture to its shops that tackles exactly that issue: a sturdy wooden planter with an integrated trellis, designed for herbs and flowers as well as a natural screen from prying eyes.

What the new Lidl planter is all about

Sold under Lidl's Parkside brand, this solid-wood planter is far more than a simple container for compost. A rectangular box at the base holds the growing medium and plants, while a trellis rising to around one metre is fixed to it. Together, they create a small-scale living green wall.

"For just under £30, you get a weather-resistant wooden planter with a trellis, offering room for about 20 litres of compost and a small wall of climbing plants."

Its deliberately compact proportions make it suitable for narrower spaces. At roughly 60 cm wide and only around 28 cm deep, it can fit on a slim balcony, at the edge of a patio or directly beside a garden fence. At about one metre tall, it can still provide noticeable privacy once the plants have grown in.

Material, dimensions and specifications: what buyers receive

The planter is made from solid wood that has already been treated with a water-based stain. This provides protection from rain and UV radiation, while slowing down the natural greying of the timber. It also includes a fitted plastic liner, so compost does not have to be placed directly against the wood.

• Material: solid stained wood, resistant to weather and UV radiation
• Liner: removable plastic insert used as a planting tray
• Capacity: around 20 litres of compost
• Maximum load: around 30 kilograms
• Dimensions: approx. 60 cm wide, 28 cm deep and 100 cm high
• Suitable locations: balcony, patio, small urban garden or directly along the property boundary

The box also contains screws and straightforward assembly instructions. It can be put together quickly using a standard screwdriver or cordless drill. The trellis is screwed onto the rear of the planter, after which it forms a single unit with the planting box.

Why the Parkside planter suits small gardens

Its main benefit is vertical growing: instead of needing wide flowerbeds, plants are encouraged to grow upwards. That makes it particularly useful for flats with balconies or narrow terraced-house gardens. Anyone with only a small patio can achieve several benefits at once with this combination of planter and trellis.

"One piece of furniture, three functions: a planter, climbing support and discreet privacy screen – all on less than half a square metre of floor space."

The lower section creates a neat, contained bed for herbs, flowers or snack vegetables. Meanwhile, plants climb the trellis and gradually form a green surface. This can shield a seating area from views from a neighbouring garden without installing a solid fence or an expensive screening panel.

Suitable for families: gardening without wrecking the lawn

For households with children, the raised planter offers another advantage. Children can easily reach the compost without having to crawl on the ground or dig through established beds. A project based around "their own plants" stays manageable and does not result in the entire lawn being ruined.

Many parents use planters like this for small gardening experiments with their children: sowing seeds, watering regularly and watching plants develop. The limited growing area keeps the activity easy to manage. Children see results sooner, which encourages them, while also showing them that tomatoes and herbs do not simply originate in the supermarket.

Plants that are genuinely worth growing

Choosing the right plants is essential if the planter is to work as both an attractive feature and a privacy screen. Hardy, low-maintenance varieties that can cope with the occasional dry day are well suited to the box itself.

Herbs and flowers for the planter

Reliable choices include:

• Rosemary: enjoys sunshine, tolerates dry conditions and is ideal for barbecues
• Thyme: grows low, often flowers and attracts bees
• Mint: grows vigorously and works well in tea and cocktails – the planter helps keep it contained
• Nasturtiums: produce long shoots and edible flowers, making them an ideal first project for children
• Trailing petunias or verbenas: add colour and help conceal the edge of the planter

The trellis itself is best used for climbing plants. Varieties that grow quickly and become dense during their first year are particularly suitable:

• Sweet peas for delicate flowers and a pleasant fragrance
• Annual morning glory for rich green growth and plenty of colour
• Small clematis varieties where the planter will remain in place permanently
• Jasmine varieties for older brickwork or sheltered corners

Those who sow early in the year or plant young specimens from a garden centre can expect a reasonably dense green wall from early summer onwards. On a balcony, that is often enough to create the feel of a private nook.

Practical uses on balconies, patios and in terraced-house gardens

In everyday use, the planter is rarely placed in the middle of a garden. It will more often sit along an edge: by a balcony balustrade, in front of a railing, at the side of a patio or next to a garden door. There, it can partly replace traditional bamboo or plastic privacy mats while looking considerably more homely.

"Rather than looking at a grey concrete wall or plastic mat, you see a living green surface – and that makes a real difference, especially in summer."

On a balcony, it can function as a room divider, with a small dining area on one side and the "garden" zone on the other. Anyone working from home and using their balcony can position the planter as a natural backdrop for video calls. In a terraced-house garden, it can provide added screening from a neighbouring property without risking disputes over fence heights.

Care and durability: keeping the wood looking good

Although the wood comes stained from the factory, it is still worth considering maintenance and long-term durability. To use the planter for as long as possible, apply a fresh coat of wood stain or oil every two to three years, ideally during a dry spring period.

A few simple steps can significantly extend its lifespan:

• Raise the planter slightly, for example on rubber feet, so water can drain away underneath.
• Prevent standing water in the plastic liner by making small drainage holes in the base.
• Remove faded plants in autumn, then loosen or replace the compost.
• Before periods of strong wind, check that the trellis is securely screwed in place.

With regular care, a planter of this type can easily last for several gardening seasons. Those who wish can paint the timber in their own chosen colour, perhaps to match the house exterior or balcony furniture. This gives the discount-store purchase the appearance of a made-to-measure item.

Added benefits at home: privacy, climate and atmosphere

Beyond its obvious role as a privacy screen, a planted trellis box brings several additional effects. Climbing plants and abundant greenery can create a more pleasant microclimate, especially on balconies that become intensely hot. Leaves provide shade, air can circulate and the filled compost retains a little moisture.

Flowering varieties also create a small feeding spot for insects. Bees and butterflies can find nectar even in densely built-up residential areas. Many urban residents value this small piece of nature outside their door, particularly when children are growing up and would otherwise have little contact with real plants.

Anyone taking the idea further can place several of these planters side by side to make a complete green wall. Combining herbs, flowering plants and climbers creates a visually varied yet very narrow "garden strip" that can fit almost anywhere, from a slim roof balcony to a paved back yard.