Until fairly recently, the term “vertical gardening” evoked images of vines on fences or trellises and…well, that’s pretty much it. Now, vertical gardening is experiencing a renaissance: incorporating an ever-expanding group of plants in (hitherto) undreamed-of combinations in very diverse climates and exposures.
A pioneer in the field of vertical gardening, botanist and designer Patrick Blanc has been exploring this concept in an extreme way ever since the installation of his first green wall in 1988 in Paris. Since then, he has installed many, with a focus on allowing plants and buildings to live in harmony with one another.
Fast forward to the United States, where vertical gardening is now gaining a foothold (roothold?). Part of the exploration here in the States revolves around the radically different climates across the U.S. and begs the question, “Can vertical gardens survive, even thrive, in all climates, from extremely arid to hot, humid, cold, wet and foggy?” The answer is, of course, “Given the correct plant materials along with the correct care-yes!”.
One of the biggest problems vertical gardening addresses is how to create more gardening space in our ever-shrinking gardens. For this problem, vertical gardening is a great option. Vertical gardening can be used to disguise unattractive parts of the landscape, provide the means of creating and defining garden “rooms” or to add a striking focal point to a garden.
Vertical gardening can be done with ornamentals as well as fruits and vegetables. Given the correct structure, it can be done with almost any perennial, annual, vine or groundcover-even succulents. It can be used to create a solid wall of flower color or a beautiful mosaic-like pattern, using plants with different foliage colors and textures.
For baby-boomers (and beyond) out there, it can save wear and tear on knees, backs, etc. because the plants are at eye level and therefore easier to tend. Growing vertically also creates a whole new dimension in which to enjoy the plants’ attributes: beautiful foliage, colorful flowers, fragrance, etc.
The plants themselves can benefit from being grown vertically. Air circulation is better, leading to fewer fungus diseases. Vegetables and fruits that are not lying on the ground will be cleaner and less likely to rot, so the yield per square foot of gardening space will be increased.
The main down-side of vertical growing is that the plants will be exposed to more sun and wind, so they will dry out more quickly and thus may need more frequent watering.
You can purchase a ready-made structure for your vertical garden, but you can also easily make a low-cost one yourself. Here are the materials you will need:
- A pallet (more on that, below).
- Sandpaper (if desired).
- A small roll of landscape fabric.
- A staple gun.
- Staples.
- Plants of your choice, in containers small enough to fit between the boards of the pallet.
- Good-quality potting soil.
For the main structure, you will be using the pallet. These can sometimes be found in or near dumpsters behind grocery stores or warehouse-type stores or at garden centers. Be sure to choose a pallet that is in good condition, with no split or rotted wood. Once you get it home, if it does need a little TLC, you should be able to easily provide it by nailing any loose boards and sanding any particularly rough spots. Give your pallet a final look and choose the best-looking side for the front.
Lay the pallet face-down and cut two pieces of landscape fabric (purchased from your friendly local garden center) the right size to cover the back, bottom and sides of your pallet, with room to turn under about an inch on all edges.
Holding the two pieces of fabric together and starting at the top, turn the edges under an inch and begin stapling the fabric (at 2″ intervals) all along the top board. The pallet should be centered on the fabric so that there is enough fabric to wrap around the sides and bottom, eventually covering all these surfaces. At the bottom corners, pretend you are wrapping a present and fold the corners to make them smooth and neat, then continue along the sides. Stretch the fabric a little as you go to make sure it is taut and use overkill on the stapling process (without compromising the structure of the pallet, of course). You do not want it to give way once it is planted. At the end of this part, you will have created a container-it is open on the top and in the front between the boards (the boards should be running horizontally), but all other sides are securely covered with landscape fabric.
Now lay the pallet face-up near its eventual home (it will probably be fairly heavy, once it is completed). Make sure all the plants are moist. Remove them from their containers and position them, closely spaced, along the top of your pallet. Place them so that they are slightly down from the top board, so that there will be room for watering. Now, starting at the bottom, push potting soil into the area between the last opening and the landscape fabric on the bottom; then plant the space above it. Continue on in this manner until you reach the top. When using the potting soil, make sure that it is pressed in tightly; if it is too loose, you will be unable to water effectively and everything will be unstable and “shrink.” Your plants should be packed in as tightly as possible. Although, all the plants don’t need to be “trailers,” some trailing plants are desirable-these will help cover the front boards of the pallet.
Once it is planted, it is best to leave the pallet flat on the ground for a while so that the roots will begin to grow and the structure will be more stable. Now you are ready to hang or place your pallet where it will remain from here on out. If hanging on a wall, make sure that your hardware is sufficient to support the weight of your pallet. If you have a larger wall, consider planting several pallets, either placed side-by-side, or maybe offset a little with other pieces of garden art between them.
Be sure to monitor your garden regularly; as noted above, the plants will dry out faster than other plants. Pay particular attention to the bottom two openings, as they stay the driest.
We hope you’ll consider giving vertical gardening a try. There are so many possibilities to create just the right ambiance for your garden. Have fun with it and make it your own!