Adding a vertical garden is a genius way of breathing life into dull office spaces and garden-deprived apartments. Providing a striking contrast to concrete, wood, and bare-white walls, vertical gardens are an excellent way to brighten up a room. But the benefits do not stop at aesthetics – live walls do wonders for the environment. By filtering pollutants, and converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, plants improve the air quality and reduce our carbon footprint.
The best plants to choose for your vertical garden
So, where do you start? Do not be tempted to rush into it, slapping any old green thing on the wall. If you choose plants specifically suited to this environment, your live wall will thrive in no time, with minimal effort on your part. There is a wide range of plants perfect for green walls, but here are some of the most popular ones to get you started.
1. Succulents
The best vertical gardens require the least amount of effort, which is why succulents are an excellent place to start. These hardy plants come in an incredible variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Pick ones that do well in small spaces such as echeveria or sempervivum. Succulents such as sedum spread quickly, making them perfect for filling in the gaps.
2. Ferns (Tracheophyta)
Ferns thrive in moist, dark spaces, making them one of the best plants for vertical gardens. They spread quickly, are highly resistant to humidity, and are incredibly adaptable, meaning they require minimal effort. The ones most suited to vertical gardens are sword fern, bird’s nest fern, and blue star fern.
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3. Pothos (Epipremnum Aureum)
Fast-growing, trailing houseplants such as pothos require minimal watering, meaning as far as maintenance goes, they are one of the best. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, making them perfect for providing a contrasting, cascading element to your green wall.
4. Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia Soleirolii)
Being a prolific grower, baby’s tears is another excellent choice for a live wall. They work well in the shade but prefer a little more humidity and moisture than some of the others, so it is best to give them a daily misting. If you are after that moss-mimicking, ground-covering look, baby’s tears are for you.
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5. Dracaena
Dracaena has always been a popular house plant, but they are excellent for vertical gardens too. Once you have combined various shades of green, it is great to inject a bit of the dracaena’s color. The shrubby species, such as dracaena fragrans or dracaena marginata, are especially suited to live walls.
Time to get gardening!
These are just a few of the plants commonly used in vertical gardens, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. If you are unsure whether a plant is suitable for vertical gardening, think about these three things:
- But Does it require much sunlight?
- Does it need ample space to grow?
- Does it require lots of maintenance?
If you answered no to those three questions, then chances are it will do just fine.
Happy gardening!