Vertical Garden
Table of Contents
Introduction
Vertical gardens are excellent for small spaces, by expanding useable space into places that might otherwise go unused. These are more complicated, and require various materials including plastic liners and fixtures, but they use far less space and water than other types of garden. They can reduce irrigation water needs by about 80% for farmers, though this statistic may focus on indoor setups.
Moss, native wildflowers, succulents, ferns, and even ornamental grasses can be appropriate for these gardens, but it is important to understand the climate, water needs, and provide basic care such as routine trimming, de-heading, and watering. Some companies not only install wall gardens, but also provide specialized gardener services, since the care requirements are a little different from your average lawn care needs.
Life Expectancy: -
Pros: Can be placed indoors or outdoors. Sizes can vary according to needs. Great for commercial or residential settings. Can save space vs traditional potted plants. Many species can be grown including wildflowers, herbs, fruit, veg, and ornamentals. Can use soil or hydroponics. DIY or professional set ups possible at a variety of price ranges. Green walls can reduce heating and cooling costs for buildings.
Cons: Containers may require more water than in-ground plants. Not maintenance-free: Professional installations require monthly maintenance. Soil indoors can attract insects. Must have some basic DIY skills and power equipment for most projects (if not using a professional service).
Equipment: A vertical structure (this could be a metal plate with holes, a module system, or individual pots that can be switched out), plants, growing substrate such as soil.
"A vertical garden is a garden that is installed along vertical supports instead of horizontally along rows in the ground. “Vertical garden” is an umbrella term that can encompass many different vertical gardening setups. This is evident since container vertical gardens go by many different names:
Living wall
Green wall
Vertical wall
Moss wall
Plant wall
The four characteristics that remain constant are a vertical structure, a container, a plant, and soil. Vertical gardens are appealing because they save space and allow us to grow food or ornamental plants outside (no pun intended) of the traditional garden.
In commercial settings, vertical gardens are often elaborate installations set up by professional companies. These installations usually include a hydroponic system to provide nutrients and water to the plants to keep them healthy and growing. These companies tout these “living walls” as a tool to increase green space, boost mood and happiness, and function as living art in your workplace." - LawnLove: What is a Vertical Garden
Consideration
Resources & Guides
How to Build a Vertical Garden at Home gives useful tips for planning, placing, and building your own vertical garden.
DIY Vertical Gardens with Plans This page offers some pretty and simple DIY projects. We caution however to avoid materials including non-food-safe plastics, or plastics than can degrade in sunlight (PVC is a terrible choice for gardening projects). Plastic bottles for example can leach chemicals into water and food. Similarly, certain type of metal can leach dangerously, so you may not want to grow vegetables in certain metal containers. In addition, metal containers can get very hot, which may help cook your roots in hot weather.
Apps & Tools
Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.
Europe
UK
Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.
Maps
International
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."
Europe
UK
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."