Vertical Garden

[jacks09]

Has anyone put a "vertical garden" on a wall or fence panel(s)? Got a small square garden and a toddler so don't want to fill up the lawn with plants but would love some greenery - would be interested to hear people's experience.....

[Sue]

Not sure what you mean by a vertical garden, but there are lots of fab climbers which will clothe the garden boundaries.

You just need to make sure you choose plants suited to the soil and to the direction the plants will face.

ETA: If they aren't self-clinging, you will need to put some vine eyes and horizontal wires onto the walls and fences, so they have something to climb on, and be prepared to tie the plants in as necessary.

Don't plant them too near the base of the wall/fence or they may get no rain. Start them off with a cane angled towards the wall/fence.

ETA: Don't do as I stupidly did and plant a load of very vigorous climbers in a very small garden, however .....

[diable rouge]

I think jack is referring to an evergreen 'Living Wall', it has it's own irrigation and drainage system... https://www.sempergreen.com/en/target-groups/consumers/living-wall-for-consumers

This is a good article on all types...https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=547

[PeckhamRose]

There is a wonderful vertical garden wall at Elephant and Castle by the Bakerloo entrance. I've loved watching that grow and change colours since it first went up. Good luck in what you get and show us pictures!

[sweetgirl]

I'm sure I've seen a vertical wall in kings cross too.... Near the nature garden if my memory serves me right!

[Sue]

Ah, OK.

Don't want to put you off, but these can be very hard indeed to keep in good condition.

Good luck!

[jacks09]

Thanks Sue, is this from experience? Would be keen to hear any.

Will be using a lot of these plants

http://www.wallgarden.co.uk/plants.html

Have been thinking of holding off until Spring to install it as have read there is a higher chance of the plants "taking"

[ed_pete]

If you're ever in the area, check out the new highwalk on London Wall in the City. Lots of vertical wall planting. Main issue to me seems to be irregation.

[diable rouge]

jacks09 Wrote:

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> Will be using a lot of these plants

> http://www.wallgarden.co.uk/plants.html

Worth noting that some of those plants listed aren't evergreen and will die back naturally in the Autumn/Winter leaving gaps.

Also, I'm curious what some of those plants like the Echinacea, which are tall and slender, would look like on a vertical wall, which seems better suited to trailing and clump forming plants.

> Have been thinking of holding off until Spring to

> install it as have read there is a higher chance

> of the plants "taking"

In general Spring is best, but some plants can go in at other times...

[Sue]

jacks09 Wrote:

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> Thanks Sue, is this from experience? Would be

> keen to hear any.

>

Not from personal experience of having one, but from personal experience of seeing a dead one .....

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/the-living-wall-of-islington-is-dead-6763418.html

If memory serves, it was the irrigation which was the problem.

Don't let me put you off, but I suspect it would be quite high maintenance even in a small garden, and you would need to be very careful what plants you used if you were to keep it looking good.

[jacks09]

Thanks Sue - thats half the fun isn't it.....like my disaster of a lawn....

[Sue]

:))