The world around us is changing, so are the conventional methods through which we do things. Technology has seeped into everything we do. Every single day modifications are seen in everything from the food we eat to the electricity we use to power our homes. One such modification has been the introduction of vertical gardens. While people may think that vertical gardens are gardens of the future, the truth is that they have been around ever since ancient times. Vertical gardens are also known by quite a few other names like living green walls, live walls, and moss walls. Here is everything you need to know about how to maintain a Vertical Garden.
Vertical gardens are exactly what they sound like. While we are used to conventional gardens that grow in a horizontal manner parallel to the ground, vertical gardens do the opposite. Plants are suspended on a vertical panel through a technique called hydroponics. The great thing about these structures is that you don’t need to erect a wall to create your vertical garden. While they can be attached to a wall, these structures can also be freestanding without any support. There used to be a time when gardening was a luxury only given to certain people who had space and tools for it. With vertical gardens, gardening has become a more common practice. The best part about the introduction of vertical gardens has been the fact that you no longer need a huge space in the exterior of your house to put your green thumb to test. People with vertical gardens in their lives have often commented upon how pleasing to the mind and eye the gardens are. These gardens provide them with a feeling of serenity and are great for mindfulness too.
You don’t have to commit to a certain size to get a vertical garden. The great thing about these gardens is that they can be as big or as small as you like. If you have some space constraints but still would like a bit of greenery in your house, then you can get them as small as the size of a picture frame. If you think your workspace needs new decor, then you can even get a 60ft vertical garden. The sizing of your garden depends entirely on you as you customize it any way you want. These gardens can be placed anywhere. From houses to offices, they will be an impressive addition to any space that they are put in. Before committing to the idea of a garden, you first need to make sure that the space around your garden is going to be receptive to this change. One aspect of vertical gardens that have become quite popular in recent years has been a feature wall. A feature wall uses an impressive arrangement of plants and flowers in an array that not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also can help increase the value of your household or office space.
An advantage of creating a vertical garden is that it also helps you live a healthier lifestyle. Besides just looking pretty, vertical gardens can help direct natural airflow into your environment. With a wide array of plants found in the vertical garden, you can be sure that you will be breathing in the clean and fresh air. Every single day we are exposed to a plethora of different pollutants. At home, it’s things like fumes from cleaning supplies while at office spaces it’s things like formaldehyde. In situations like these, it’s more crucial than ever to have a clean air filtering system in place to ensure good health. Vertical gardens provide that service by filtering the air around us. They improve the atmosphere around us by cleaning the air.
Besides interior vertical gardens, exterior vertical gardens are a good option too. If you need to cover up space in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible, then a vertical garden can get that job done for you. By having access to natural sunlight at all times, vertical gardens turn out to be thriving in the ecosystems on their own. The advantage of having exterior vertical gardens is that they give immense protection to your buildings by insulating them against temperature fluctuations. Think about the fortune you would save on electricity bills by installing a vertical garden. Besides helping keep the temperature in check, these gardens can also provide shelter from UV radiation and heavy rain.
One popular type of vertical garden is the one that is composed entirely of succulents. What makes succulents so popular among plant enthusiasts and alike is the ease through which these can be maintained. Succulents are extremely space-efficient, so whether you want to install a whole wall panel full of them or just a tiny office square, these plants can fit anywhere. Secondly, since they are available in such a wide variety of colors, they will always be pleasing to the eye. Their easy maintenance also makes them a great option for people who are not great with the maintenance of plants. As these plants are fire-resistant, they can go long for periods in regions with a lot of water shortages or with owners who forget to water them periodically. Some other popular species of plants that are used in vertical gardens include ficusrepens, ferns, calathea, and pilea, among others.
Before getting a vertical garden, one thing you need to make sure of is that you have the capacity to maintain the up-keep of the said garden. While it is true that these gardens require less care and maintenance than conventional gardens, that does not mean that they can continue flourishing under total neglect. Only invest in a vertical garden if you believe you can give it the right care and dedication that it deserves. While these gardens use systems like substrate and integrated water grating systems, you need to make sure that you keep these systems in check. If you don’t uphold the maintenance of these systems, then you run into the chance of ruining your vertical garden. Since plants present in a vertical garden need to be given more care due to their limited exposure to soil and water, secondly, since the plants have shallow roots, they need to be treated with more care to make sure that they are growing properly. Lastly, since these plants are ingrained into the wall, they cannot be allowed to grow unchecked. You need to keep them trimmed to stop them from looking untidy.
The Final Word
While it may seem like a daunting challenge, the fact remains that a vertical garden is the new face of modern gardening and one that can be executed quite easily. So don’t overthink this and bring greenery into your space immediately.