Living Walls, Herb Walls, and Modern Plantscaping
Living walls
A beautiful indoor solution
Living walls, herb walls, and new ideas for modern plantscaping has become an increasingly popular trend over the last decade. More and more for so many reasons, offices, malls, apartment buildings, hotels, and schools are incorporating plants into the indoor environment. This urban trend seems to fit the everlasting desire for companies across the globe to improve their image and look and it delivers that cutting edge advantage that property managers seek out. While living walls offer improved air quality and health benefits, their ability for added insulation results in energy savings with the added plus of incredible aesthetics.
Green foliage walls are a concept that date back as far as 600-800 B.C. as evidence can be found from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon which is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Sod turf coverings were used in many of the northern countries on the tops of the roofs of houses. The sod-like turf made of soil that contained grass and roots was used to cover the roofs and provided insulation and protection from extreme heat and cold and the elements. The Vikings used this concept to protect their homes against cold and rainy weather conditions.{0} Modern living walls often called green walls or vertical gardens was a concept created by Stanley Hart White who was a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Illinois in 1938. He patented his concept for the “vegetation-bearing architectonic structure and system” but the idea didn’t catch on to the masses until decades later. {1}
According to the experts the top plants for living walls are: Ferns, Bromeliads, Bird Nest Fern, Pothos/Golden Pothos/Devil’s Ivy, Lipstick Plant, Succulants, Dracaena, Crotons, Hosta, and Baby’s Tears {2}
Popular plants that grow well for herb walls which make a delightful treat for apartment communities and individual homes are: Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Stevia, and Thyme {3}
Factors to consider when choosing plants for your living wall are things like how much sunlight the plants will get and choosing to put slow growing plants and more invasive faster growing plants in separate pots or grow walls. For instance, a plant like mint unless balanced with other fast growing plants may take over and actually kill the other herbs in the living wall that you are trying to establish. Other things to consider when planting is locating the plants that need the most light towards the top of your living wall or whenever its gets the most light and also planting the herbs or foliage that need the most water at the bottom of your grow wall because those plants will get all the additional run off water from the top plants. Another factor would be the actual type of wall planter type and how it will need to be watered. Having a living wall with a built in irrigation system can make the watering of a wall fairly easy and so which plant you choose will depend upon the method you are using.{3}
Types of living walls can hugely vary. The new trend has delivered a variety of techniques and styles. The capabilities and creativity for them are endless. Some walls are purely aesthetic offering patterns and designs of tropical flowers and plants while some have more function containing herbs for consumption and general use. Some living walls are even used specifically to function as a better form of insulation and cooling to reduce energy bills. Some living walls are better geared for outdoor and others are better geared for indoor and certain walls require more maintenance than others. All this must be taken into consideration before choosing the type of wall planter for you.
The main different typology of green walls are: Green Facades, Living Walls, Vertical Gardens, Hanging Gardens, Bio-Gardens, Bio-shades, Bio-Facades. Supported green wall facades, integrated Living wall facades, stepped
terraces, and cantilevering tree balconies are all concepts that can be used. Some smaller less 3 dimensional facades are made using ropes, cables, and meshes while others requiring a heavier duty material incorporate a rigid frame and cages. {0} Panel modular systems can be used in any environment and is a method that involves growing plants into modular tiles where a non soil growth medium is used made of rockwool or basalt rock fiber. This medium delivers the precise amounts of nutrients oxygen and water to the plants and is antibacterial and will not decay over time. Panel modular systems use hydroponics with drip irrigation systems that recycle the water and connect to the buildings plumbing which is convenient and uses less water than other systems. Tray systems often used inside are a less expensive but effective system for smaller walls. This system uses a frame which can be made in any shape where individual trays can be inserted into the wall in prefabricated dividers. The tray system requires hand watering and the individual trays containing 1-3 plants typically must be pulled out of their slots and watered. {4}
Other factors that should be taken into consideration when building your green wall are the geographic location, climate, geometry of building, orientation of the building, plant species, and components of the green wall and related systems such as whether or not an irrigation system will be used. {4}
The are many benefits of a green wall. They reduce the heat island effect due to heat sources in cities like cars, industrial pollution, mechanical equipment used, and the building materials used that radiate heat into the surrounding environment. It insulates the walls and protects the structure including the interior components of the walls of the building from the elements of hot, cold, rain, wind, and sun that can damage it over time which as a result greatly reduces heating and cooling and electric bills significantly. The air quality is improved by reducing harmful toxins pollutants and metals that will be filtered out by the plants with and increased production of oxygen and reduced carbons into the area. This also improves the health and well being of the inhabitants of the building. It also improves the psychological well being of employees, visitors, and dwellers and helps inspire positive emotions for the occupants. The reduction in sound in creates is another added positive of the green wall since the plants will also deaden and absorb the sound. The aesthetics of the green wall however is one of its most attractive draws since it increases the value of a property as well. {4}
As you can see, there are a million reasons to have a green wall and also a million ways to create one. They make an excellent way to reduce energy costs, promote health and well being within, clean the air, increase property value and appeal, protect the building, and inspire positive feelings and in a beautiful way that will be sure to impress any viewer. Want a green wall? Just get in touch with us and we will design you the most amazing interior or exterior plant wall sure to dazzle and impress! Each of our designs will be tailored made to your building and your idea. The possibilities are endless for inspiring positive vibrations and aesthetics of a brand new look for your building.
{0}https://theconstructor.org/building/green-wall-types-benefits-features/16625/
{2}https://wiki.nurserylive.com/t/top-10-plants-for-vertical-garden/2172
{3}https://easyverticalgardening.com/what-herbs-grow-best-in-a-vertical-garden/
{4}https://www.sagegreenlife.com/post/types-of-green-wall-systems-which-one-is-right-for-you