Vertical Gardens, Living Walls, Living Art…Oh My!

With their beauty and versatility, living walls, or vertical gardens, have opened up a whole new world to plant lovers everywhere. Whether indoors or out, these elegant structures make a stunning addition to any home or business, and offer many other benefits as well.

For those in the urban jungle with limited space, vertical gardening can drastically expand available growing area. You can make your own inexpensive vertical garden for a balcony or patio out of an average shoe organizer. Simply fill the pockets that would normally hold the shoes with high quality potting soil, ensure that it will drain sufficiently and plant as you would in any other container. This will work well for many herbs and some vegetables.  There are also kits and ready-made options available for purchase if you so choose.

Indoors, living walls and living wall art act as air purifiers. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s). VOC’s are released from plastics, paints and fragrances worn by a building’s occupants among many other sources. Studies have shown that indoor plants help reduce stress, improve creativity and contribute to a feeling of well being, and, in the workplace, they help reduce absenteeism and improve worker productivity.

The living wall art piece pictured consists entirely of edible plants, which adds yet another potential benefit: Food!

Bringing living walls and vertical gardens into and around your home will add a touch of class and beauty, but the benefits go far beyond aesthetics. Make your home a greener place, and it will work full time to make you healthy and happy!