We love keeping up to date with outdoor design trends, and the newest craze – vertical gardens – is about as good as it gets. Vertical gardens, also known as green walls or living walls, are wall panels of luscious plants grown vertically using hydroponics.
As complex as they may seem, it’s pretty easy to get this trend happening in your very own backyard.
There’s plenty to love about green walls. They’re aesthetically beautiful, have a calming influence, absorb sound, are great for small spaces and can disguise any unappealing views! What’s not to love?
Interested in creating your own DIY vertical garden? Follow our easy instructions:
- Pick a space in your backyard (or house) that needs a makeover. It could be your shed’s unsightly corrugated iron wall you want to cover up, or maybe you want to add a bit of artistic décor to your verandah. You can even create a freestanding centrepiece in your garden.
- Build your frame. Vertical gardens are heavy, so your frame must be able to withstand tremendous weight. Plastic is a good, sturdy choice. Check with a structural expert to make sure your chosen wall or structure can handle the load.
- Attach a plastic sheet to the frame. This prevents water wastage by keeping moisture in the structure. Make sure there is a gap between the frame and the building you want to put your living wall up against so there’s plenty of ventilation for the plants.
- Pick out and attach a fabric that will be the base for your plants to live in and grow from. Since this is where your plants will source their nutrients, your fabric needs to retain water well, but be porous enough for the roots to penetrate. Felt is a good choice.
- Set up an irrigation system that will cover all your plants. A good idea is to attach a pipe or tube across the top of the wall which can drip water from above.
- Pick your plants! This is the fun part, where you really get to let your creative juices flow. Great green wall plants include geraniums, ferns, begonias, rock lilies, and many more!
Make sure your structure is solid before you plant. If you need to fix it up afterwards, you may damage your plants’ roots or stems. Once the plants are in, keep them watered and fertilised. This is especially important if your garden wall is outdoors and exposed to the elements.
Simple! Enjoy your vertical garden for years to come!
