Try going green vertically
Living walls are the latest botanical trend. Anabela Rea finds out more.
Beautiful, achievable and space-saving; outdoor vertical planters are on the rise. Particularly good for terraces and courtyards or covering otherwise ugly surfaces, they make a fun planting project for the weekend.
Location, location, location
It’s best to position your vertical planter on the side of a fence or uncovered outdoor wall, rather than beneath a veranda. Tempting as it may be, it’s not recommended to hang a vertical planter on wooden exterior house wall as the created moisture can be damaging. Keep in mind the site of the nearest tap and the load bearing points where your planter will hang from. It’s also good to choose a sunny spot.
Plants that get between 10 and 16 hours of sunlight a day (depending on what the specific variety needs) are likely to fare best. Lastly, choose somewhere around your property that’s not too windy. The more insulated your indoor garden, the easier it will be to grow.
Pick a planter
Search Google and you’ll find there’s a vertical planting solution for every surface – from troughs to individual pots, hanging pocket planters and frames. If you want a low-maintenance option, look for modular wall gardens with built-in irrigation and water capture trays. The versatile and contemporary pocket planter is the new kid on the block and, paired with the right plants, will create a rich vertical garden that looks immediately established.
If you’re keen on DIY, recycled containers such as baskets and crates hung on a fence are a good option. Depending on the width of your surface, it may be possible to fit several differents planters with various pocket numbers and heights alongside each other for a less structured aesthetic.
Choose your plants
The annual vs perennial dilemma really comes down to just one thing – how much do you like gardening? If you don’t mind repotting your planter relatively often, seasonal and annual plants provide fabulous colour and mean that you can update the look of your outdoor space with the same rhythm as your wardrobe. If you’re looking for lowmaintenance, perennial plants and sturdy succulents and grasses are best.
If you don’t have the space for a full vege garden, consider planting herbs, tomatoes and leafy greens for an instant fresh salad. They look good, especially mixed in with other non-edible plants, and apart from a regular spritz with a natural, non-toxic pesticide and seasonal replanting, are quite low maintenance.
For a lush aesthetic that’s full of depth, layer flowering plants amid draping greenery. Spreading varieties are best to plant in the bottom sections, whilst dry resistant plants are best at the top in full sun. For example, in a fivesection vertical planter, plant succulents in the top layer as this area will dry out the quickest, lilac nemesia for colour in layer two, a softly fragrant flowering moss like bacopa scopia or Spanish moss in layer three, petunias or pelargonium for a larger colour injection in layer four, and a hardy carex grass or trailing golden creeping jenny at the base.
Get your hands dirty
After securing your planter in position, you’ll need high-quality potting mix, a hand trowel and gardening gloves. Wearing gardening gloves will not only protect your manicure, but provide an extra layer of protection against potential infections from bacteria in the soil. Legionnaires’ disease is a real and scary possibility, so cover up any scratches or cuts before you begin.
Plant from the bottom section up, making sure that the soil is pushed down firmly around the edges of the pockets, then christen your planter with its first watering. Make sure to wash your hands afterwards.
Care is key
It sounds foolishly simple, but watering your plants regularly is crucial or they will die. Due to increased air movement, a vertical planter will dry out quicker than regular flower pots or garden beds. A good way to ensure you remember to water your garden is to tie the ritual in with another activity. For example, always water your planter in the morning while the kids are eating breakfast or in the evening as soon as you return home.