Where Can it Go?

The biggest obstacle this far has been where to put the green wall. There are factors such as maintenance, feeding, pruning, etc that have limited where it can go, and who wants it. The great thing about Vertical Gardens is that The can go almost anywhere inside/outside and depending on the plants chosen and the system of construction they can have very low maintenance requirements.

Great news is that the wall will be able to be displayed at the FNGLA Showcase in September, in Orlando. And, there could be another wall installed on the UF Campus (to be determined after meeting with Sustainability Office).

Now, its time to start planning the wall(s)!

Wide World of Living Walls

There are many ways to make a living wall. There must be structure, media, and plants. Structure can come from masonry units, gabions, sandbags, stud frames, etc. Media can be soil, although decomposing media is something to avoid - engineered media is usually preferred, or gravel/sand. Of course, Plants! (we'll discuss plant selection later)

Why a Green Wall?

There are many reasons why a green wall is beneficial. Not only do vertical gardens provide you with all of the benefits that traditional horizontal gardens do, they can help to improve theeffects a building has on the environment. Plants are capable of improving the quality of air by absorbing harmful pollutants and CO2 and emitting clean oxygen. Also, plants can help to improve comfort by stabilizing humidity. A green wall on a building will act as insulation-absorbing heat from the sun , "deaden and diffuse noise, make grafitti impossible, cut heat and glare, hold or slow rainwater...proccess carbon dioxide, while providing food and shelter for wildlife." (Thompson, Sustainable Landscape Construction.)

My Favorite Walls

Life Drawing

Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey

Caixa Forum

Herzog and DeMeuron, Patrick Blanc

Quai Branley

Jean Nouvel, Patrick Blanc

Sportplaza Mercator

Venhoeven CS

Where to Start?

The Library.

First Three Books Checked Out:

1. Sustainable Landscape Construction

Thompson, Sorvig

Great guide to the fundamental building

aspects of a landscaper's approach to the rotation of the axis of the traditional garden. It explains that there will be certain key elements in any vertical garden system. Structure, from retaining walls to masonry screens. Media, from rocks to soil. And, of course, PLANTS.

2. Vertical Gardens

Lambertini, Leenhardt

With examples of vertical gardens and green walls around the world, this book helps to show a diverse set of ideas and directions that have been created over the last 30 years. A grass covered greek temple, massive tree columns in Paris, and tree walled bungalows all explore the idea of verdant structures.

3. The Vertical Garden

Patrick Blanc

Mr. Blanc is the master. He has worked closely with Architect, Jean Nouvel, and has created some of the most famous and widely publicized "Murs Végétals". His history, background on how his fascination with vertical gardening began, and the details of his plant arrangements are discussed along with good pictures and inspiring captions. He has found a recipe to the green wall and is really pushing the popularity and beauty of this idea.