Go Vertical

I was impressed to see this example of a living wall at my local wholesale nursery. A vertical garden has many advantages; small footprint, lower energy consumption, and a natural buffer between weather and inhabitants. When located indoors, it can improve air quality. No matter where you live, urban or suburban, cold or hot, indoors or out, a vertical garden can add green almost anywhere.

Though there are many ways to construct a living wall, Patrick Blanc, a French botanist intent on creating a garden without dirt, utilizes a three-part system consists of a PVC layer, felt, and metal frame. This provides a soil-free self-supporting system light enough to be hung on the wall. There are also wall pocket systems made of felt, wool, and recycled plastic.

ELT, an Ontario company that specializes in green roofs, began selling living wall systems a little over three years ago and is now one of the biggest suppliers to the United States. Greg Garner, the company’s president, said that its green-wall sales have increased 300 percent since 2008. Four months ago, the company introduced a cheaper, lighter kit to make living walls accessible to the average gardener; prices start at about $40 for a one-square-foot panel.

Click here for in progress shots of the construction of a succulent wall in Newport Beach, CA that was designed by Joe Zazzera for Dr. Andrew Weil. I'd like to see if this concept will fly for a public walkway renovation project that it is the works.