Fresh home-grown vegetables taste delicious, are good for health and safe from chemicals. But with diminishing space in modern homes, it is increasingly difficult to have a garden. If you have a blank wall or a bare fence, you can tend edibles, annuals, even perennials with these vertical gardening ideas, says Sharmeen Nafis, Manager at Plantscapes.
The harsh summers in Dubai, force us to unwillingly shift our outdoor fun to indoor activities and those garden parties to in-house dinners. As much as we miss the serene environment, fresh air and the positivity of being surrounded by a natural habitat, we are left with no choice but move into the closure of our homes.
The good news is, if you’re looking for a natural way to enjoy the intrinsic benefits of nature indoors, try welcoming a few leafy green companions into your home. Yes, green walls is your answer! Green walls come packed with numerous benefits. Not only do they contribute to the aesthetics of the interiors, but are also purveyors of good health initiating improved air quality, reduced noise, and lending a positive feel to the surroundings.
Also known as living walls, you may have seen these vertical gardens standing tall in hotels, buildings, malls and offices. The lesser known fact is that as they grow vertically they are perfect for small spaces too, and can be easily created in your homes. These walls make a breath taking statement by creating alluring and inviting surroundings. Below listed are a few ways of creating a green wall that fits your interiors and taste:
Standard Green Wall:
An emerging trend in green design, these vertically sprawling gardens of green are springing to life across the world in the interiors of hotel lobbies, office reception areas, malls and more. They are created using a variety of different or same plant types placed in pre-fitted, precast modular trays that are then mounted on the wall with an inbuilt drip irrigation system. Coupled with the right lighting the standard green wall will create a serene surrounding in your home.
SUGGESTION:
As with all new technologies, this form of green wall system doesn’t come cheap. Involving an integrated water delivery system, they require expertise for installation and design planning. Also, you will need to set aside a reasonable budget for the maintenance of these gardens too.
Forest Walls:
Forest walls are an innovative type of green wall, which is created using preserved real plants along with moss. As the name suggests they are known for the dense tropical feel they lend to the interiors. The plants are first preserved in a green house and then used for the wall. They require absolutely no watering nor any kind of maintenance. They are hassle free and last for up to 5 years.
SUGGESTION:
Forest walls require a one-time investment. Once installed there is no looking back.
Wall mounted pots:
This form of green walls are both pocket friendly and are suited for houses of any size. It makes use of planters which are mounted on walls forming various designs. As this system involves the use of individual planters, the user has the leverage of using different variety of plant in each pot. You can also change the plants seasonally or as per your choice. Although an inbuilt watering system is recommended, you can also self-water your plants.
SUGGESTIONS:
Use planters that complement your design scheme. If you are into DIY projects, then you can use self-made planters created from PVC pipes, plastic bottles and more.
Trailing green walls:
This is another form of green wall that works well for both commercial and residential properties. This wall is created using climber plants and ropes or trellis. Climbing plants share the successful strategy of relying on the support of other plants or objects to reach the sunlight. This makes them perfect plants for a green wall. Ropes or trellis are used to design trails. The climbers planted clad the trails thereby creating a unique look. The most commonly used species are ivy (Hedera sp.), Russian vine (Fallopia sp.) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus sp.). All three climb directly onto wall faces.
SUGGESTION:
Climber green walls can be made by preparing plant beds at ground level so that the plants creeps upwards or if you have a loft or space close to the ceiling that is unutilized, you can prepare a plant bed up and let the leaves trail downwards.
Artificial walls:
These walls are made using a variety of artificial plants. Although they do not render the intangible benefits of the real one, they do contribute to the aesthetics of the interiors in a big way. An artificial wall is a good option if you are looking for some lush greens, which will add texture, colour and life to your room. They are relatively less expensive to install and doesn’t require much maintenance except regular cleaning for dust.
SUGGESTION:
Artificial green walls provide stunning high quality foliage and can be used on both interior and exterior builds.
Green walls are a great way to beat the heat this summer. Considering the uptake in air pollution and loss of green spaces due to urban living development, it is time to have some greens over grey.
By Sharmeen Nafis, Manager at Plantscapes