Plant A Green Wall

DESIGN | by DEBRA PRINZING

GREEN WALLS ARE THE HOT, NEW, must-have landscape design element. The Europeans were the first to figure out how to engineer large-scale planted walls, inspiring some innovative American designers to follow with their own twists.

SOURCE: FLORAGRUBB.COM

Traditionally, the idea of vertical plantings involved arbors, trellises and fences—structures across which vines clambered. Then there was an explosion of “green” planted roofs, an eco-savvy alternative to heat-reflective, composite roofing, shingles or tiles.

But engineering a roof is a challenge for the average homeowner. So it’s only natural that we’re seeing the planted wall as the next installment of “plants-as-architecture”—a trend that seems much more achievable than a planted roof.

Green Wall resources

• Custom walls, including site-specific creations, range from tapestry-like vertical plantings of winter-hardy sedums and succulents by Seattle-based Carina Langstraat and Erik Wood to avant-garde textural compositions of air plants or succulents by San Francisco-based Flora Grubb to an edible wall designed by Anne Phillips of Go Green Gardeners in Los Angeles.

• The Woolly Pocket is a do-it-yourself wall-planting system created by L.A.-based sculptor and designer Miguel Nelson. He created a soft-sided envelope that makes it possible to have a lush wall of vegetation without having to hire a structural engineer. Made in the U.S. from breathable fabric that was once plastic bottles, the 15-by-24-inch pockets are lined with built-in moisture protection. Fill one with a little potting soil, plant with lush greenery and allow the vines or foliage to spill over the top edge. Combine multiple pockets to create a living wall.

Think about it: If you’re sick of watching your neighbor as he/she washes the dishes just beyond your kitchen sink, maybe a living wall is the solution.