Living walls
Got a bit of a gloomy corner in your garden, desperately needing new life breathing into it? A living wall could be the perfect solution!
Living walls – or vertical gardens, as they’re also known - add a lush look where there is limited horizontal space, and can really revolutionise an otherwise tired area. They brighten and lighten unloved nooks and crannies, bringing a creative design look to a dull corner of wall – or indeed, help disguise next door’s fence that isn’t quite as (ahem) aesthetically pleasing as you might wish to look at when you’re outside enjoying a BBQ or evening glass of Chenin.
From a practical perspective, they can also form a stunning screen to help dissect different sections of your garden – perhaps you don’t want the view of a climbing frame running the view of your water feature or decked dining area?
And they aren’t just limited to the outside – they can also be used inside to add a contemporary feel, or make an otherwise clinical office space look more appealing.
Benefits
Not only does a living wall look fabulous, but it also offers health benefits. Yes, really.
Because plants take in carbon dioxide and other pollutants, then give off fresh clean oxygen they positively cleanse the air around them – and our lungs appreciate that. In an indoor environment they are good at reducing noise pollution. And there’s psychological evidence to show that when used in offices they help people work more productively, and feel healthier and happier as they have access to nature.
Construction
They’re surprisingly cheap and easy to create too.
The best plants to use are annuals and perennials – and be sure to select those which cope well with the shade, due to the nature of the wall being out of the sun for longer than a normal patch of the garden. Another rather lovely use is for herbs and veg if you don’t perhaps have the space to have a normal herb garden – why not grow your basil, dill and chilli plants on the wall instead (especially handy solution if you have cats who regularly visit the garden… if you get my drift…)
They are built in the same way as normal walls. The skeletal structure is created, then the various plants and flowers are hung from it. One may include pipes behind the scenes to assist with watering, but this can also be achieved easily enough from ground level. Oh, and the best time to plant is in the spring, so the greenery can bed-in.
Maintenance
To ensure the success and longevity of the living wall, there are a few key tips
Firstly, that initial year after building it is crucial, while it all settles – give it lots of loving care (talking to it is optional). A simple irrigation system should be enough to keep it watered and healthy, then just regularly check it, pluck off any dead leaves, and trim larger plants that might be smothering others.