Invite nature into your home by creating a verdant "living wall" display, most commonly achieved through mounted plant installations.

Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd now offers vertical green wall solutions suitable for Singapore's tropical climate.

Vertical gardens can be created even in small spaces, such as tiny backyards, by using woven fence panels and mirrors to create the illusion of a larger, lush green canopy.

Homeowners are transforming compact outdoor areas with innovative features like raised patios, rooftop lounges, and living privacy walls.

Vertical gardening is a top trend in home design for 2024, offering energy efficiency benefits important for both the environment and cost savings.

Sensory gardens and vertical gardens provide not just beauty but functional improvements like privacy and a strong focal point within outdoor spaces.

Expert advice suggests that even small spaces—such as fire escapes—can host planters for herbs and flowers, enhancing both color and ambiance.

Garden design is gaining importance as people seek to create havens from daily life, with starting from a blueprint ensuring beauty and function.

Companies like Just Vertical provide online platforms to help customers install indoor vertical gardens, emphasizing easy set-up with light, water, and seedlings.

Vertical gardens also contribute to sound dampening, creating a quieter home environment, which is increasingly valued as more people work from home or seek peaceful indoor spaces.

Many find that tending to their indoor or outdoor green spaces brings peace, comfort, and a sense of connection or nostalgia.

Prioritizing calm and quiet at home is recommended alongside other design improvements, helping residents enjoy both beauty and mental wellbeing.

Finally, addressing noise or discomfort in the home, whether through vertical greenery or sound-reducing design features, can foster a more pleasant living environment.

Invite nature into your home by creating a verdant "living wall" display, most commonly achieved through mounted plant installations.

Title:

Content: Invite nature into your home by creating a verdant "living wall" display

Humans need plants to survive.

We eat them, drink them, use them as medicine, and even decorate with them in order to bring joy to our daily lives.

Once you start caring for a couple of houseplants, it's easy to spiral into an obsession with our magnificent, leafy friends. If your collection of 20-plus houseplants isn't enough to satiate your need for greenery in your home anymore, why not take it to the next level with a full-blown living wall?

Living walls, or vertical gardens as they're sometimes called, are made up of an array of live plants that are planted vertically and can range in size from just a few square feet to entire walls in large atrium spaces.

However, larger installations can cost upwards of $125-$225 per square foot of wall and aren't exactly feasible for renters or homeowners who are on a strict budget or have limited space.

While you can certainly contract a company to install a living wall in your home, there are also local and handcrafted options to consider depending on your budget, your lifestyle and what look you're going for.

click to enlarge
Chiana McInelly photo
Dominic Villareal in front of A Modern Plantsman's living wall display.

Dominic Villareal, the owner of A Modern Plantsman, weighed his own options when expanding his Colfax plant store to downtown Spokane in late 2021.

"My partner and I were scoping out the local plant scene, and we noticed immediately that there was a lack of living wall installations in Spokane," he says. "There are no plant stores or nurseries in the area that have one."

When Villareal secured the space for his shop on the main floor of the Hotel Indigo building, he began designing a plant wall that was eye-catching as well as functional for his customers. The plant wall, constructed by Villareal himself, features wooden shelves that are just deep enough to hide the pots that the plants reside in, giving it the appearance of a living wall.

"That's very doable for a home setting," he says. "You can take the pots off the shelf for easy watering and care."

Villareal recommends plants that trail for any DIY living wall project, but also says that including plants of different heights can give the wall a much more textured and varied appearance.

"Start with plants like pothos, heart leaf philodendrons and prayer plants," Villareal says. "Prayer plants specifically can deal with very low-light situations, which is perfect for a home installation. They'll disguise any nonnatural elements of the wall once they start to trail down."

Previous owner of Sage + Moss and seasoned houseplant parent Annecia Paulson recommends utilizing organic elements when creating your display for ease of watering and a more harmonious facade.

The most common way to do this is by creating mounted plant displays. Mounted plants are plants that have been affixed onto an object using moss or other organic materials.

"Creating mounted plants is actually a really easy process," she says. "You simply remove most of the dirt from the roots, place the plant on the piece of bark and then attach it using sphagnum moss and fishing line."

The upkeep and care of mounted plants lie in the choice of wood, Paulson says.

"Using cork bark is the best option — it's lightweight and naturally mold-resistant. Just soak the whole thing in water, let it drip dry and then hang it on your wall using Command hooks or string. Super simple," she says.

If the trial and error of diving in headfirst just isn't your thing, many area plant stores, including A Modern Plantsman, offer workshops on how to create mounted plants and products that can assist you in your journey to creating a living wall.

"We really try to act as a resource for people in the community," Villareal says. "We want to help people learn how to do these things. I've already gone through the trial and error of the projects that people attempt at home, so I'm happy to give people that knowledge." ♦

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About The Author

Madison Pearson

Madison Pearson is the Inlander's Listings Editor, managing the calendar of events and regularly contributing to the Arts & Culture section of the paper. She joined the staff in 2022 after graduating from Eastern Washington University.

Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd now offers vertical green wall solutions suitable for Singapore's tropical climate.

Title:

Content: Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd Now Provides Singapore Properties with Vertical Green Walls

Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd is famous for its vertical wall planters, green walls and flower backdrop in Singapore. The company caters to residential and commercial clients as well.

Singapore, 2023-Jan-04 — /EPR Network/ — Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd, the leading landscaping company in Singapore is offering vertical green walls to commercial and residential properties. Whether it is a retail showroom or a high rise, the vertical green wall is an innovative approach towards introducing nature amidst the concrete jungle.

The company uses quality vertical wall planters, ensuring the healthy growth of the plants. These vertical walls are easy to maintain, assemble, install, disassemble, and reinstall. The technique used by Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd ensures the user does not have to spend much time tending and taking care of the plants.

Along with green walls, the company also provides clients with exquisite flower backdrops in Singapore to complement the greenery around them. It’s a long-term investment as a green wall can last up to 25 years.

Vertical walls by Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd come with some unique features:

  • Custom design to suit the client’s needs.
  • Minimal watering of the green wall plants.
  • Ultra-low maintenance ensured.
  • Quick installation due to a modular system.
  • Use of plants that can survive in a tropical climate.

Why choose a vertical green wall?

  • Reduces waste of energy.
  • Improves air quality.
  • Makes the structure sustainable.
  • The space becomes more fire-resistant.
  • Minimizes ambient noise.

The general installation cost for a vertical green wall by Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd ranges between $200 per square meter and $1200 per square meter, depending on the design, the kind of plants used and the installation process.

About the company:

One of the oldest nurseries in Singapore, Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd has 50 years of experience in the industry. Started out humbly as a flower shop, Prince’s Landscape Pte Ltd have evolved into a full-fledged landscape design and installation specialist.

Contact Details

Telephone: 65 6763 7000

Fax: 65 6892 2700

WhatsApp: +65 8838 3479

Email: buzz@prince.com.sg

Address: 53 Sungei Tengah Road, Singapore 698998

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Vertical gardens can be created even in small spaces, such as tiny backyards, by using woven fence panels and mirrors to create the illusion of a larger, lush green canopy.

Title:

Content: Jump directly to the content
HAnging gardens

I have a tiny backyard so created a living privacy wall from Lowe’s – the mirror helps the space look bigger

A DESIGNER has brought a tropical forest to her tiny backyard by creating a living privacy wall from Lowe's.

She added a large mirror to her look, giving the illusion of an even bigger space.

Her vision was the bijou version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

But making the most out of restrictive spaces is nothing new for this TikToker.

It is her specialism and she has rocked it with this lush backyard look.

Whitney Leigh Morris of Rightsizing Home and Garden (@whitneyleighmorris) has 200,000 followers and another 2.8 million likes on her platform.

"Sustainable small space designer,” is how she describes her remit.

In this post, she had fun using a woven fence panel as the foundation of her look.

“Creating a vertical garden in our tiny outdoor space," she wrote.

First, she installed a woven privacy wall from Lowe’s.

Once this was fixed into position, the creative work could begin.

First she hung a large round mirror onto it, helping this limited space look far bigger.

Then plants were pinned onto and around the fence panel.

The effect was that of a lush green canopy.

There were grapes, succulents, cacti, and flowering shrubs.

Gardening paraphernalia were also artfully hung on the wall.

Commenters loved the finished look.

“Wow beautiful," said one.

While another simply said: “Stunning.”

Topics

Homeowners are transforming compact outdoor areas with innovative features like raised patios, rooftop lounges, and living privacy walls.

Title:

Content: Raised Patios, Rooftop Lounges and More: How Homeowners Are Transforming Small Yards In Big Ways

While most homeowners would love a spacious corner lot, the majority aren’t so lucky. Fortunately, limited space doesn’t have to mean limited use when it comes to your yard.

With a little creativity — and some clever use of space — today’s homeowners are transforming their small yards in some pretty big ways.

Do you have a backyard with limited square footage? Here are five ways to expand it and get more use from your yard.

[Building a Backyard Pond: Is It Worth It?]

Second-Floor Decks

Second-floor decks are “one of the most cost-effective” ways to transform a small outdoor area, according to Andrew Brown, a real estate advisor with Keller Williams Next Move Boston. With these, your deck expands off a room on your second floor — often a bedroom, den or game room — and then offers stairs down to the actual yard area.

“This option not only provides homeowners with a private outdoor retreat but also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the property,” Brown says. “It can incorporate ideas like built-in seating, retractable awnings for shade and vertical gardens that add a touch of greenery without occupying floor space.”

You can also create staggered, multilevel decks that stem from a second or third floor.

“This can give you separate areas for dining, lounging or a fire pit,” says Artem Kropovinsky, founder of interior design firm Arsight in New York.

The cost of building a second-story deck varies widely, but according to HomeAdvisor, the average sits around $4,800 to $6,000 for a 10-foot by 12-foot space, or about $40 to $50 per square foot.

Rooftop Lounges

For homeowners with flat roofs — typically those in more urban settings — expanding to the top of the house may be an option. These rooftop areas can include everything from putting greens, herb gardens and workout areas to entertaining elements like pizza ovens, fire pits and hot tubs.

“For homes equipped to support them, transforming rooftop areas into garden terraces or entertainment spaces offers a unique outdoor living experience,” Brown says. Just be sure to consider marketability and resale value when building yours out, he says. (So don’t include extra-niche features that only you will enjoy.)

Also check with city building codes, as well as your homeowner’s association if you have one, before moving to the roof, as there may be rules dictating how your roof can be utilized.

[15 Cheap DIY Backyard Game Ideas for Summer]

Vertical Gardens

If you’re itching for a lush garden but don’t have the space, think upward — not outward, experts say. Just choose a fence or exterior wall of your home, and build a garden vertically instead.

“Use the space up from above and not from the ground,” Kropovinsky says. “Vertical gardening can make a little backyard into a verdant, space-effective sanctuary.”

As for how these work, it depends on your setup. You may be able to attach plants in individual baskets or planters to the wall directly, or you could install a trellis, wire or shelving system to support your foliage. Stacking upturned concrete blocks or bricks — and housing small plants and succulents within them — is also an option.

“When it comes to plants, the options are nearly endless,” says Joe Raboine, vice president of design at landscaping solutions company Belgard. “You can use green vining plants, edible plants or other colorful blooms.”

Smarter Seating

Everyone wants a place to kick back and relax in the great outdoors, but if you’re short on square footage, traditional patio furniture can be challenging — often taking up much more space than it’s worth.

One alternative here is to add a bench (or several.) You can even have benches installed on a wall or fence and fold out, allowing you to save even more space.

“Bench seating is a great way to create more usable space in a small backyard,” says Jared Blumberg, a real estate agent with Compass Werner Blumberg in New York. “A bench can generally accommodate more people and take up less space than a traditional outdoor chair.”

You can also opt for multipurpose items that function as seats and serve other purposes. Modular ottomans or stools with built-in storage are one option, for example.

[How to Make Your Yard a Pet-Friendly Oasis]

An Extension of Your Home

Last but not least, you can just skip the idea of having a traditional “yard” and have your outdoor space serve more of an extension of your home — like an extra room, almost. You can dedicate it to entertaining, dining or even playing a sport, experts say.

“At some point, a backyard becomes too small to really function as a proper yard,” says Rafi Friedman, chief executive officer at Coastal Luxury Interiors in Florida. “In these cases, you can often get the most value out of these spaces if you completely finish them into something else.”

This might mean turning your yard into a full-size swimming pool or pickleball court, or paving the lawn and adding a large table and chairs for al fresco dining.

And if you’re looking to become the new go-to spot among your neighbors, Friedman says, “Outdoor kitchens, bars and fire pits can be great ways to turn your small yard into a low-maintenance social gathering space.”

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Raised Patios, Rooftop Lounges and More: How Homeowners Are Transforming Small Yards In Big Ways originally appeared on usnews.com

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Vertical gardening is a top trend in home design for 2024, offering energy efficiency benefits important for both the environment and cost savings.

Title:

Content: The Most Popular Home Design Trends Coming in 2024, According to Zillow

While soft, cozy interiors dominated during the first few years of the pandemic, new data from the real estate website Zillow suggests that home decor is going to head in a different direction next year. Here’s a look at some of their predictions for the hottest home trends of 2024.

Zillow’s home design trend predictions for 2024

In order to determine next year’s hottest interior design trends, the team at Zillow tracked “nearly 300 home features and design styles mentioned in for-sale listing descriptions, then identified the keywords showing up far more frequently than a year ago,” according to a release from the company.

Here are three of the top trends to watch next year:

Murals

Instead of opting for gray walls with white shiplap, Zillow’s data indicates that people are ready to add some personality to their homes—specifically, in the form of murals. Their surge in popularity is likely due, at least in part, to being more accessible than ever before, thanks to wallpaper murals.

Brutalism

After years of emphasis on all-things comfy and cozy, Brutalist interior design takes things in another direction: Think concrete floors and other raw, exposed materials. While it’s unlikely to become as ubiquitous as other home design styles, like modern farmhouse, Zillow has seen a 452% increase in the share of for-sale listings that mention Brutalist design.

Sensory gardens

Both sensory gardens and sensory garden paths are poised to take off in 2024, according to Zillow. If you’re not familiar with the concept, here’s how we described sensory gardens in a 2021 Lifehacker article:

Essentially, a sensory garden is exactly what it sounds like: a garden designed to be experienced using all five senses (touch, smell, taste, sound and sight). There isn’t a single “formula” for a sensory garden—it’s all about adding certain features to a new or existing garden to fully engage anyone who visits, providing them with an immersive experience.

Having outdoor space continues to be important to potential homebuyers—especially if it’s both beautiful and functional.

Sensory gardens and vertical gardens provide not just beauty but functional improvements like privacy and a strong focal point within outdoor spaces.

Expert advice suggests that even small spaces—such as fire escapes—can host planters for herbs and flowers, enhancing both color and ambiance.

Title:

Content: AD It Yourself

How to Create an Outdoor Oasis When You’re Short on Space

Experts chime in with smart solutions for limited backyard square footage, from plant propagation to thinking vertically

Though we can daydream of summer lunches beneath a pergola, the reality for many of us is that square footage is limited. But with great small backyard ideas, having limited outdoor space shouldn’t be a reason to discard your fantasy of a lush retreat at home. There are many innovative ways to craft an inviting outdoor retreat yourself, from layering your plants strategically to using multipurpose furniture. Below, we asked three experts to weigh in on how to create a compact oasis that will leave guests wondering your secrets.

Figure out your budget and plant hardiness zone

Maryah Greene, New York–based plant doctor, stylist, and founder of Greene Piece, recommends putting some thought into how much you’d like to spend and what plants will work best in your zone. “Consider this before going hard and decking your outdoor space out [completely], because you may find that you only get to enjoy those plants for a few months unless they’re perennials,” she advises. “The most common mistake that people make is investing a ton of money into their outdoor space just to realize that some of those plants won’t grow back next year!”

When choosing plants for a truly tight space, Fernando Rubio, landscape architect and founder of Defined Outdoors, picks plants that thrive in those conditions. “Opt for compact varieties such as herbs, dwarf shrubs, and container-friendly trees,” he says. “Also, consider using small-size foliage to add a layered, multidepth feel to your outdoor space.”

For budget-conscious DIY’ers, Greene suggests repurposing extra indoor items as planters or decorative elements. You should also try propagating, she says. “Different plants propagate differently, but for the ones that are cutting propagations, plop your cutting into a jar of water until it roots. From there, you can plant it in your garden or outdoor space without spending a dime on a new plant.”

Find practical solutions for your tiny footprint

Lacking a “typical” outdoor space? Small space consultant, author, designer, and stylist Whitney Leigh Morris dares you to get creative when it comes to small backyard ideas. “Even the tiniest slice of outdoor space surrounding your home can be transformed into a functional and tranquil retreat without much effort,” she says. “A stoop, driveway, porch, or miniature garden can all be effective ways to enlarge and enhance your living space. In order to maximize utility, keep reality in mind rather than being lured into styles that don’t suit your practical needs or the qualities of your surroundings.”

One of Greene’s favorite ways for urbanites to flex their green thumbs is by planting in window boxes. “If your fire escape allows you to sit a small planter right outside your window, this can make for a great place to grow herbs or add a few colorful flowers,” she adds. Just remember to keep safety first; avoid obstructing the pathway. Morris is a fan of container gardens, “whether [it’s] repurposed, staggered-height pots, wall-mounted vessels, or balcony planters,” she says.

All three experts were keen on the idea of vertical gardening. “Vertical elements like hanging planters, wall-mounted planters, trellises, and pedestals can draw the eye upwards, creating the illusion of more space. Plus these elements can also add privacy and serve as a focal point in your outdoor space,” Rubio says.

Make it an extension of your home

You don’t need a massive patio or garden for dreamy indoor-outdoor living. The key is continuity: Decorate your outdoor space just like you would your interiors. “Don’t overlook ambiance,” Morris says. “It’s not just important for visual impact, but for your nervous system and well-being too. Soft, warm-hued lighting; soothing sounds; lush greenery; textile layers such as outdoor rugs and upholstery; and privacy borders, from billowing curtains to trellises to folding screens, can all play a vital and impactful role in establishing a serene setting.”

Lighting can make all the difference in how your space feels,” Rubio adds. “Adding some ambient lighting like string lights or lanterns can create a warm and inviting atmosphere. If you’re handy, task lighting—like spotlights or pendant lights—can also highlight specific areas or features.”

Rubio also advises keeping the design simple and pared back, if that’s your vibe. “When working with limited space, a minimalist approach to layout and design can make your space feel more spacious and relaxing,” he says. “Streamlined design elements, a simple color palette, and plenty of negative space can help create a visually appealing and calming outdoor oasis. Plus it makes maintenance a lot easier in the long run.”

Prioritize function

To make sure your small outdoor space is one you’ll actually use, consider what will make the reimagined zone work best for you. “For example, if you get abundant rain, make sure to use weather-proof pieces and incorporate waterproof storage into your design features,” Morris offers. “If you entertain a great deal, keep not only your guests in mind but also their belongings. Where will everything be placed to avoid overcrowding when you host? If your outdoor area is exposed to ongoing direct sun, explore safe methods of blocking the sun through plants, umbrellas, or sail shades.”

For Greene, it’s all about growing what you can use. “Herbs, veggies, flowers…if you cook a lot or just enjoy the occasional bouquet on your table, save yourself money and reward yourself,” she says.

Meanwhile, Rubio recommends smart outdoor furniture: “In small outdoor spaces every inch counts, so incorporating multifunctional elements can be a game changer,” he says. “Benches with built-in storage or planters that double as seating can maximize your space and make your outdoor area more practical. Modular furniture is also a smart option, allowing you to easily rearrange and adapt your space as needed.”

Garden design is gaining importance as people seek to create havens from daily life, with starting from a blueprint ensuring beauty and function.

Title:

Content: Elevating Your Outdoor Sanctuary: Tips for Cultivating a Vibrant Garden Oasis

The art of garden design is becoming increasingly important as people look to their outdoor areas as a haven from the daily grind.   Before we embark on this journey, remember that cultivating a garden is …

The art of garden design is becoming increasingly important as people look to their outdoor areas as a haven from the daily grind.

Before we embark on this journey, remember that cultivating a garden is not just about beauty—it’s an opportunity to connect with nature and enhance our well-being. For more inspirational green insights, consider visiting this helpful link.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Garden Design

Starting with a blueprint ensures that your garden is a feast for the eyes and a functional space. Take your time sketching out your ideas, considering how different sections of your garden will relate to each other and the overall aesthetic of your property. A garden should be an extension of your home; therefore, the design should flow seamlessly from the indoor to the outdoor spaces. Think about the movement through the garden, how you interact with the plants, and the views from inside the home.

Selecting Plants for Year-Round Interest

Strategically chosen plants create a captivating garden landscape and deliver a succession of blooms throughout the seasons. Designing a garden that looks great in all seasons requires a careful balance of plants that peak at different times of the year. Consider incorporating a mix of bulbs for spring, annuals for summer color, perennials for autumn hues, and evergreens for winter structure.

Understanding your local climate zone and soil type is crucial when looking for plants that will thrive in your garden. Hearty native species can offer a more resilient and sustainable option that supports local ecosystems.

Soil and Nutrition: The Foundation of a Healthy Garden

Whether sandy, clay, or loamy, the soil is perhaps the most overlooked yet fundamental aspect of gardening. Your garden’s vitality begins with the ground, so investing time in understanding and improving your soil’s health can yield lasting benefits. Simple steps such as regular amendments with organic compost can significantly improve soil structure and fertility. Moreover, soil testing can inform you about deficiencies and guide appropriate nutrient management.

Embracing natural methods helps the soil and ensures that your garden is part of a sustainable practice. Natural fertilizers like fish emulsion, bone meal, or green manure techniques invigorate the soil without the harsh effects of chemical fertilizers.

Creating a Habitat for Wildlife

Inviting biodiversity into your garden brings it to life and assists in the natural control of pests. Birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial creatures can all find a haven in a garden thoughtfully planted with their needs in mind. Planting native species is particularly effective in supporting local wildlife because these plants have evolved alongside the local fauna. Establishing various plants that offer food, shelter, and nesting sites will make your garden a bustling hub of natural activity.

Keeping Your Garden Thriving: Maintenance and Care

A garden is a living canvas that requires attention and nurturing. Regular maintenance like pruning, weeding, and deadheading keeps your garden looking its best and encourages healthy growth and blooming. Each season brings specific tasks—from spring planting to fall cleanup—and staying on top will ensure your garden remains a place of beauty and serenity.

One of the most critical aspects of garden maintenance is monitoring for pests and diseases. Early detection and environmentally friendly control methods can prevent minor issues from becoming major problems. Being proactive about the health of your garden will reward you with a vibrant outdoor space that continues to thrive and enchant year after year.

Companies like Just Vertical provide online platforms to help customers install indoor vertical gardens, emphasizing easy set-up with light, water, and seedlings.

Title:

Content: Homegrown Business: Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela of Just Vertical

Just Vertical manufactures and sells beautiful indoor gardens for residential, office, and commercial settings. It was co-founded by long-time friends Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela who were both masters students at U of T. We got to speak to the company’s Head of Marketing and Growth, Christopher Di Grazia, to find out more about them.

What is your business called and what does it do?

At Just Vertical, we manufacture and sell breathtaking indoor gardens for residential, office, and commercial settings. Our gardens enable year-round cultivation of herbs, leafy greens, and vegetables in any indoor space.

What made you want to do this work?

Just Vertical started when co-founders and long-time friends Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela were Masters of Science students at the University of Toronto. Conner had been working in ‘Big Ag’ gaining a real perspective on the food problems faced by people around the world.

Meanwhile, Kevin had just come back from pioneering indoor growing research in the Canadian Arctic, as well as teaching indigenous youth in remote arctic communities, and saw firsthand how cutting-edge plant science and hardware (like vertical farming) could be used to grow in any environment.

Over lunch in 2017 the two friends were catching up and sharing their work experiences. They decided that to make a real impact on the world, and truly help to eradicate food insecurity, they needed to think of a way to enable folks to grow their own food at home. The idea was to provide vertical hydroponic growing systems that fit seamlessly into urban living spaces. They applied their combined knowledge of plant science, engineering, manufacturing and business development and thus, Just Vertical was born.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

We established our business with the following goals in mind:

– Providing Access to Year-round, Pesticide-free Produce – In many regions, weather conditions limit the ability to cultivate fresh produce year-round without the use of harmful pesticides. Our indoor gardens allow growers to bypass this issue and produce healthy, pesticide-free crops throughout the year.

– Empowering Individuals to Make Independent Food Choices – We believe that people should have the power to make independent food decisions that are not subject to the fluctuations of the market. Our gardens enable our growers to exercise greater control over the food they consume, free from the vagaries of inflation and other economic factors.

– Reducing Food Miles – The average distance between where food is grown and where it is consumed is approximately 24 hours. With our indoor gardens, food production is 24 steps away, reducing transportation time and helping to reduce carbon emissions.

– Integrating Hydroponic Technology with Aesthetic Design – While hydroponic growing technology is not new, traditional hydroponic systems are often unsightly and confined to basements or other hidden areas. Our gardens bring hydroponic growing into the home, combining efficient growing technology with aesthetically pleasing design.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our demographic spectrum spans a diverse array of individuals, including young urban singles, rural families, and seniors in assisted living facilities. However, our primary demographic focuses on women aged 27 to 47 residing in urban environments.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Our revenue stems from the sale of our hydroponic garden systems and the associated supplies purchased by our clients. The success of our business model hinges on the performance of these gardens and the value they offer to our customers.

Our gardens use hydroponic (soil-less) technology to cultivate fresh produce. The steps for successful growth are:

1. Unpack the garden

2. Begin growing desired plants using our seed starter kit

3. When seedlings reach 3-4 inches in height:

a. Fill the bottom reservoir with water.
b. Plug it in to set the light & pump in the reservoir
c. Move the seedlings into the garden.
d. Allow plants to mature and harvest when ready.

For more detailed instructions, please refer to our comprehensive guide available here.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

We primarily offer our gardens for sale via our online platform. They are manufactured in Etobicoke and showcased at various locations in Toronto, including:

1. Evergreen Brickworks

2. Brightworks Energy in Markham

3. Village Juicery in Roncesvalles

For a complete list of our physical display locations, please visit this link here.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What sets Just Vertical gardens apart? Our approach uniquely combines hydroponic growing technology with elegant furniture design. We believe this technology deserves a prominent place in homes and those growing their own food should take pride in it. Our gardens are meticulously designed to seamlessly blend into any home environment, becoming an integral part of the household. They epitomize a perfect balance of beauty, practicality, and functionality.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

We take immense pride in our work at Just Vertical, firmly believing our gardens are contributing to global change. The world faces a significant environmental challenge, underscored by the overuse of agricultural chemicals, rapid degradation of farmland, extensive food transportation, and disconnection from food sources.

Our product empowers individuals to cultivate their own food, fostering environmental consciousness through innovative technology. This further encourages a dialogue about the importance of caring for our planet, our health, and our food.

The worst part about our work lies in raising immediate awareness about the significance of autonomous food choices. The prevailing agricultural system thrives on indifference, and advocating change through products like ours can be a considerable task.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

This is probably a little less of a joke and more of a statement we love, but we’ve used the line before with our gardens that if you buy one, you can Netflix and Dill.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tiktok | LinkedinEmail

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Evergreen Brickworks

About Joel Levy 2420 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography

Vertical gardens also contribute to sound dampening, creating a quieter home environment, which is increasingly valued as more people work from home or seek peaceful indoor spaces.

Many find that tending to their indoor or outdoor green spaces brings peace, comfort, and a sense of connection or nostalgia.

Prioritizing calm and quiet at home is recommended alongside other design improvements, helping residents enjoy both beauty and mental wellbeing.

Title:

Content: Why background noise at home is driving us mad – and how to get away from it

The chugging, huffing, whirring or gurgling of our homes and interiors can feel deafening and distracting, but there is another way to live

Just the other day, I was working from home while my two young adult sons were both isolating. One was on the PlayStation obliterating endless Action Man types, while the other was blasting old-school Pulp from his Spotify. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the tumble drier was humming, the oven fan was droning, the kettle was bubbling and my email was ping-ping-pinging. Suddenly, my two dogs, who must have detected a murmur only accessible to canine ears (how overwhelming must this modern world be for our pets?), started barking like loons. In a fit of acute tension, I bellowed at them, “Be quiet!” (Yes, I am aware of the irony).

Our world today is thick with noise. Everything is either bleeping, chugging, huffing, whirring or gurgling. There aren’t enough verbs to describe it all. And while most of us have conditioned ourselves to live alongside it, there are repercussions. On a daily basis, when we are exposed to a loud or sudden sound, our primary stress hormone, cortisol, kicks in and anxiety surges – we all know how agitated we can get when there is an onslaught of tech and electronic chatter. The World Health Organisation says that noise pollution has a considerable detrimental effect on our wellbeing, and is second only to air pollution as the world’s largest killer pollutant.

Noise is also a significant distraction. It blurs the edges of clarity and stymies our thought process. Studies have shown that continuous background noise plays a negative role in the development of child learning capabilities. While a British Journal of Psychology study found, whether reading or writing, invasive sound killed productivity. From personal experience, I always notice how my mind wanders off on amazing tangents whenever I am immersed in silence for lengthy periods of time. Once the outside world is muffled, the power of the creative brain is liberated.

So, what can we do to turn down the volume on our lives? Much of it is about personal choice, especially when it comes to our homes and the way we want to exist. Since the pandemic, and the enforced time in our four walls, people are more conscious of the hullabaloo their environment creates. Simon Gosling, CMO of Quiet Mark, a certification programme for quiet products, says, “Our homes are getting noisier due to mass consumerism and tech. There is so much stuff available, but most of it makes a racket. Products are often created with their aesthetic appeal in mind, however we’re seeing a growth in manufacturers prioritising quiet innovation to improve the sound of their appliances. Consumers are getting increasingly savvy about what they buy.”

Taking noise abatement a step further, Quiet Mark recently launched their Acoustics Academy platform, an online guide to inform architects, building specifiers and homeowners on the best acoustic building materials and interiors. “There are all sorts of incredible advances out there,” reveals Simon, “Like sound reduction floors and walls, special acoustic plaster which can be used in ceilings, and lighting and furniture that absorbs noise… When a home is being built or renovated from scratch its sound design can now be at the top of the list. We’ve all sat in those kitchens with hard flat surfaces where you feel you’re in an echo chamber. That doesn’t have to be the case.”

And if you want the whole package, coming soon: the Kiss House. A new modern style of home, pre-designed and built to Passivhaus international gold standard for ecological efficiency. Mike Jacob, Director of Product and Innovation, says: “These homes have such high levels of installation and attention to detail, you feel cocooned from any external noise pollution. There is a deep sense of privacy, comfort and quality.”

But if moving home, or even renovating, isn’t on your agenda right now, there are easier things we can all do to lower the tone. Creating a sense of serenity might simply mean altering your colour palette to softer hues, or bringing nature into the home with a display of plants, or conceiving a quiet nook where you can unplug and be still. It might just be thinking about what you can let go. Do you really need a TV in the bedroom? A whizzy toothbrush in the bathroom? Or Alexa backchatting your every request?

Ayshea McCormack, founder of The Small Home, an online shop committed to paired-back ethical products, is mindful about her own interiors. “I select shades of white as a backdrop for my rooms, and I love the paint brand, Atelier Ellis. They have the most exquisite different whites - Warm White is my all-time favourite. It’s also important for me to create zones where one can retreat. We have an unspoken house rule that this is a place you can go to withdraw, to read or write undisturbed. I have a pair of noise cancelling headphones in my calm corner which I wear regularly with nothing playing through them - just to remind my family I don’t want to be interrupted!”

Muting life should not be seen as turning your back, but simply a chance to take a breath. Because when the volume is lowered, it might just be quiet enough to hear what’s really going on around you.

‘Silent except for the soporific trickling of the fountain’

Sue Ashton is a garden designer based in Burford, Oxfordshire. Her conservatory is a legacy from her parents, and the place where she retreats from the hubbub of the world

There’s one word to sum up Sue Ashton’s garden conservatory: enchanting. Bursting with greenery, dotted with blooms and silent except for the soporific trickling of the fountain in one corner, it truly is a haven. Sue moved to this house 11 years ago after her parents passed away; the garden and conservatory had always been the family’s much-loved homage to nature.

“My mother was a botanist and both she and my father were keen gardeners,” reveals Sue. “When they bought this house in 1985, there was a dilapidated Victorian glass orangery but it was too rundown to restore, so my father had this conservatory built to his specifications. A fountain was installed and the space divided into two parts: a cool end to grow his favourite auriculas, and a larger section with a fireplace to help support more exotic plants.”

As a designer, Sue spends a lot of her time on various sites where, she says, she sees gardens turned into mud pits and stripped of foliage before being transformed to create a client’s dream landscape.

Returning to her conservatory always acts as a reassuring constant in her life. “I enjoy the thought that I am continuing the process started by my parents; I think about them a lot when I am in here,” she says. “I also love the fact that it is forever either in bloom or awash with greenery. Like now, there are tons of ferns, succulents, pelargoniums, grape vines and a beautiful blue plumbago. Glorious.”

From spring onwards, when the weather starts to warm up, this space serves many purposes. Sue and her husband will often eat in here, or sit reading, or even entertain friends with a glass of wine in the evening. (“It looks beautiful lit up with loads of candles.”) But most of all, Sue retreats to her conservatory to soothe her mind. “I do a lot of pottering,” she laughs.

“When I am alone, immersed in my tending, it completely calms me. To keep a happy-looking conservatory going, a lot of fiddling is required. But it’s the best way to relax and stops me thinking about all the other issues running through my mind. There’s a quote by the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, which goes something like: “Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but the peace within the storm.” That’s how I feel when I retreat to my conservatory. I am at peace there.”

Sue opens her garden by private arrangement in aid of local charities

‘Whenever I can, I’ll sit in this room and take time to pause’

Shalini Misra, is an interior designer specialising in holistic and biophilic design. The family home in northwest London is testimony to her style

“It’s extremely important for me to be connected to nature,” reveals Shalini, “so when I designed this garden room, I wanted floor-to-ceiling windows so that the inside would blend with the outside. We’ve been in this house 20 years; the family before lived here 30 years and they put a lot of energy into the 150ft garden. There are incredible mature trees everywhere: red beech, oak, silver birch, chestnut; it’s so wonderful to relax in this room and absorb that view.”

Shalini is drawn to this space when she wants time out, so it was crucial for the interiors to exude comfort and calm. “I’ve chosen soft colours and a mix of tactile textures, two vintage 1950s chairs for their lived-in factor, and an Italian Fornasetti floor with a distinctive pattern, which actually reminds me of the twigs and branches in the garden. As a practitioner of luminotherapy, considered lighting is key, so I’ve included a chandelier which gives a more subtle glow and works as a focal point for the room. I love anything upcycled – the sofa was an old Flexform design, which I had reupholstered. It’s so well-worn and comfy; my absolute favourite thing is to cosy up on it and read a book.”

As a designer, surrounded by beautiful interiors and exposed to a continual stream of the latest accessories, Shalini makes a conscious decision to balance her work with sustainable products. “I am always on the lookout for striking vintage items,” she says. “Alfie’s Antiques near to my home is a favourite. I find repurposing items an absolute joy – if there is the chance to repaint something, add a different handle, or change the material, I will. Plus I am an advocate for locally sourced products. When I design homes in the UK, I try to choose British – there are forests here growing sustainable timber. Then when I am in India, I encourage clients to buy from our own craftsmen and designers. My house in Delhi was built and decorated with everything sourced in India.”

With three children and a high-profile career, Shalini’s life is jam-packed. Taking a moment to stop, breathe and enjoy the peaceful view is integral to her wellbeing. “I am someone who is always buzzing with ideas and considering what may come next,” she laughs. “So to ground me I meditate and practice yoga every morning. Then, whenever I can, I’ll sit in this room and take time to pause. Just the process of actively slowing down helps to organise my brain and focus my thinking. Then I am ready to get on with my day.”

‘When I’m designing my home, I think about the soundscape’

Poppy Szkiler is the co-founder and CEO of Quiet Mark, the independent global certification programme which identifies the quietest home appliances and tech, building sector materials and commercial product noise reduction solutions. Poppy works from her home in south London, where she lives with her husband Paul, CEO of Truestone, and cat, Elijah

The crusade for a quiet environment is in Poppy’s DNA. Her grandfather, John Connell OBE, founded the Noise Abatement Society in 1959, a charity which campaigned against noise pollution. “Funnily enough,” laughs Poppy, “I believe my grandfather wrote to The Daily Telegraph in the 1950s, asking if anyone else was experiencing the significant increase in noise. The newspaper published his letter and loads of replies poured in, supporting him.”

An extension of the charity, and co-founded at the kitchen table with Poppy’s mother, Gloria Elliott OBE, Quiet Mark came about in 2012 as the next step in understanding how noise impacts our mental and physical health, and what alternatives we can choose to alleviate the crescendo. “There is much wonder and comfort to living in a quiet space,” says Poppy. “We need a release from the constant bleeping.”

Poppy reveals that sound awareness is rapidly moving into the public’s consciousness. “We have various partnerships with retailers, such as John Lewis who tell us they have over 10,000 online searches for quiet products every month. Our expert teams of acoustic consultants test and verify products, checking the claims of manufacturers.

“It is a complex, scientific and lengthy process which includes measuring decibels, frequency, tone and overall sound quality, culminating in our unique extensive database of acoustic performance for over 80 product categories.

“We really are very geeky, and if something is recommended by Quiet Mark, you know it has been put through its paces. Yet we never name and shame; we simply feature the top 10 to 20 per cent of the best on the market each year to make it super easy for the consumer to choose well by looking out for our Quiet Mark ‘Q’ stamp of approval.”

In her own home, Poppy has sound reduction at the top of her priority list. Although, she says, visitors may not notice anything visually different when they walk in, there are all kinds of thoughtful additions to increase aural comfort: triple-glazed windows, absorbent flooring, special acoustic plaster, a quiet extractor fan and, of course, an array of discreet appliances. She has even created a beautiful wild garden, seen from her kitchen, to encourage the lulling comfort of birdsong.

“When I’m designing my home, I don’t think immediately about the look, I prioritise the soundscape,” she says. “In this house, I’ve created a modern monastic feel, lots of white space and less things; a sanctuary to feel at peace in.

“For me, silence is crucial. It takes me back to what is most important. And when I sit in quiet, I have my best thoughts; I can find the answers. Especially now, when the world feels so strange, what I experience in quietness is my life source.”

How to live peacefully side by side…

If you live in a property that is attached to your neighbours’, you will be likely to hear each other from time to time. So, if you are doing something that is noisy (home DIY), think about the time of day you are doing it and the effect the noise may be having on them

If you are holding a party, invite the neighbours – they will be less likely to complain about the noise if they are with you!

If you are bothered by noise from your neighbours, speak to them about it first. They may not realise the noise is causing you a problem

If talking doesn’t help, you can complain to your local authority’s environmental health team. They will come and investigate to see if you are experiencing a noise nuisance. The noise must be affecting you quite badly for a nuisance to be found, so simply hearing your neighbours will not cut it

The same principle applies to noise from nearby commercial or industrial premises. Speak to them first and, if that doesn’t work, contact your local authority. In this case, however, even if a nuisance is found, it does not necessarily mean the noise will be reduced as there is a defence of Best Practicable Means, which recognises when the noise-maker has done all they reasonably can to mitigate the impact

Further information can be found at: Institute of Acoustics, the Association of Noise Consultants, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland

Courtesy of Stephen Turner – President of the Institute of Acoustics

Shop it - create a more tranquil home

Finally, addressing noise or discomfort in the home, whether through vertical greenery or sound-reducing design features, can foster a more pleasant living environment.