Vertical gardens offer environmental benefits including cleaner air and temperature regulation.

The practical benefits of indoor green walls include air purification, temperature regulation, and noise protection.

Green roofs contribute to climate-resilient cities by reducing the urban heat island effect and stormwater run-off, while also improving air quality and increasing biodiversity.

"Green roofs and vertical gardens offer several environmental benefits, including reducing energy consumption, improving air quality, and increasing biodiversity, by alleviating the heat island effect and adsorbing pollutants in the air."

Vertical gardens offer several benefits, including environmental advantages, noise reduction, and aesthetic benefits.

"When choosing plants for a vertical garden, consider the local climate and the appropriateness and compatibility of the plants themselves."

"Low-maintenance plants such as ivys, heucheras, and ferns are suitable for vertical gardens, and other options include the Dragon Tubeh and the Honeysuckle, which can purify the air and are easy to maintain."

When choosing plants for different climates, it's necessary to consider suitable plants for growth and management.

"For vertical gardens, suitable plants should be chosen based on different climates, considering factors such as humidity, sunlight, and plant compatibility."

Indoor green walls offer environmental benefits including air purification and temperature regulation.

Green surfaces, such as trees and plants, can contribute to improved air quality by producing oxygen through photosynthesis.

Adding green surfaces to buildings can improve their aesthetic appeal, contributing to a more beautiful urban environment.

Pothos, heart leaf philodendrons, and prayer plants are suitable for low-light vertical gardens, with prayer plants being able to thrive in very low-light conditions.

Vertical gardens offer environmental benefits including cleaner air and temperature regulation.

Title:

Content: "Living walls": near the hospital on the Kharkov highway planted climbing grapes
On the territory of the medical town on the Kharkivske highway, 121 planted Vichi grape bushes.
This was announced by the interim acting chairman of the Darnitsa RSA Nikolai Kalashnik.
Medical workers of the National People ’ s Congress “Academy of Human Health ” joined the vertical gardening within the framework of the“ City of Living Walls ” initiative.
Recall that the “living walls ” of Vichy grapes are already in all areas of Kiev.
Among the advantages of this solution are cleaner air, comfortable indoor temperature in the summer and noise protection.
Photo: Nikolay Kalashnik
Published: 11 August 2023

The practical benefits of indoor green walls include air purification, temperature regulation, and noise protection.

Green roofs contribute to climate-resilient cities by reducing the urban heat island effect and stormwater run-off, while also improving air quality and increasing biodiversity.

Title:

Content: How to turn a roof into a garden – successfully

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How to turn a roof into a garden – successfully

By Megan Backhouse

To look at Andy Beales digging up Jerusalem artichokes and weeding around kale you wouldn’t think he was pushing boundaries. Like any sensible food grower he is shredding garden waste to speed up his composting and laying down straw to encourage worms. His shovel and wheelbarrow sit at the ready. But here’s the thing that I haven’t yet mentioned: he is on a roof – the roof of a suburban shopping centre, no less.

“It’s not like a normal farm where you can just whack in a star picket to make a climbing frame for your tomatoes,” Beales says. “If you want to bring in a cubic metre of compost, you’ve first got to think about the capacity of your goods lift.”

A normal farm this Burwood Brickworks rooftop might not be but it is a sign of what farms might yet become. As for what public parks might become, look no further than the manicured shrubs and timber day beds nestled in the sky between office towers in Collins Street. At the “Skypark”, the lawn is so green and so perfectly uniform that, when I visited this week, I had to touch it to check it was real.

Both these green roofs are mentioned in the new Maintenance Guidelines For Australian Green Roofs, which refocus our attention on an age-old idea that, after about a decade of active research, is starting to get a new foothold in Melbourne.

In the face of climate change, the biodiversity emergency and increasing urban density, green roofs can help make cities less destructive and more climate-resilient. They are cooling and biodiversity increasing. They reduce stormwater run-off, improve air quality and provide people with the pure pleasure of vegetation.

But only if they are well managed. Ignore them and they are doomed to failure. You might say this is true of every garden. But it is especially the case with landscapes on roofs, where almost nothing comes about by chance.

Green roofs are engineered “systems” with specially designed waterproofing, protection and drainage layers. The plants are growing in carefully concocted substrates applied at specific depths. The plants themselves are chosen to ensure they can cope with conditions off the ground.

The new maintenance guidelines, written by the University of Melbourne’s John Rayner, Elspeth Lumsden and Rachael Bathgate, detail how to manage all this in the local climate.

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They discuss the need for safe access, for ensuring all the different green roof layers remain intact and for managing effective irrigation and drainage. They emphasise the importance of understanding how plants – including weeds – behave differently on roofs compared to the ground.

Some of this is as simple as maintaining adequate substrate depth and not using hand tools with sharp points or edges that might pierce underlying layers. Some things – like cutting back plants that start to overly dominate – are similar to what you would do on the ground. But other tasks, such as removing woody weeds that develop potentially damaging taproots, can take on new urgency.

The key is to nail down how you will tend the roof from when it is first being designed, and then to stick to the schedule and also monitor the space regularly. While the guidelines, which can be downloaded for free, are largely aimed at those in planning, design, maintenance and management roles, they are relevant for anyone thinking about installing vegetation on the roof of their own home.

Although there have always been enthusiasts like Brod Street, who, about a decade ago conducted his own research and installed a beguiling grassland on top of his 1890s Hawthorn brick cottage – then added a successful “wetland” in 2019 and then a high-yielding vegetable patch on top of his backyard shed in January this year – there are lots of potential pitfalls for the uninitiated.

Even for the experienced some green roofs are easier to manage than others. The guidelines detail how much more care is required for the sort of productive roof currently being tended by Beales at the Burwood Brickworks, for example, compared with a lightweight, restricted-access one predominantly composed of low-growing succulents. To guarantee success, it’s crucial to tailor the maintenance plan to the site.

“There have been some really sad disasters around Melbourne,” Rayner says. “I am a fan of green roofs but I am a fan of successful green roofs. There is no point installing these things if they are not going to be sustained successfully. These are living landscapes that need maintenance planned into their design and management.”

Maintenance Guidelines For Australian Green Roofs can be downloaded for free from girg.science.unimelb.edu.au.

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"Green roofs and vertical gardens offer several environmental benefits, including reducing energy consumption, improving air quality, and increasing biodiversity, by alleviating the heat island effect and adsorbing pollutants in the air."

Title:

Content: It has been more than two years since the city implemented the “Measures to Encourage the Installation and Feedback of Liveable Building Facilities ”, and as of July this year, a total of 88 applications have been approved and 63 have been approved.
Taichung Metropolitan Bureau of Development Huang Wenbin said today that the construction base generated a total of 56,831.81 tons of carbon sequestration, an increase of 1,813 trees, with Wenxin Forest Park accounting for about 1,500 trees, which is equivalent to the creation of 1.2 Wenxin Forest Park.
The Taichung City Government has implemented the “Measures for Encouraging the Establishment and Feedback of Liveable Building Facilities in Taichung City ” to encourage builders to set up“ Vertical Greening ” and “Vertical Neighborhood Space ” and other liveable building facilities.
For the flexibility of the design of the multi-storey terrace in the neighborhood, at least a certain scale of community common space, close the relationship between the residents of the community, and also regulate the planting of trees of a certain size and suitable for growth and management and maintenance of the space, to confirm that it can grow thick and increase the proportion of urban greening.
As of the end of July this year, there have been a total of 88 applications, 63 have been approved, and the construction base has generated a total of 56,831.81 tons of carbon sequestration. A total of 1,813 trees have been added. Take Wenxin Forest Park, which has about 1,500 trees, for example, to create 1.2 Wenxin Forest Park. The amount of carbon sequestration is equivalent to adding more than 90 small community neighborhood parks, which not only beautify the urban environment but also improve the quality of the living environment.
According to the Taichung Metropolitan Development Bureau, urban greening can alleviate the heat island effect in the city, and can also help to adsorb pollutants in the air and reduce PM2.5.
# Wenxin Forest Park # Qiaomu # Liveable Building # Encouragement # 63

Vertical gardens offer several benefits, including environmental advantages, noise reduction, and aesthetic benefits.

"When choosing plants for a vertical garden, consider the local climate and the appropriateness and compatibility of the plants themselves."

Title:

Content: Flower decor in the house
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Decorating with flowers is perhaps the most popular method of decorating the premises and garden.
The variety of colors in color, shape and size is simply innumerable.
There are also a variety of ways to decorate flowers.
A hedge of flowers, bright flower arrangements or bouquets in a nice vase - these and many other ideas can arise if you decide to decorate your home with flowers.
Let ’ s look at how we can decorate our home with flowers.
Winter garden
Sometimes it is so desirable that summer always reigns around us, evergreen plants grow and bright sun shines.
But the climatic conditions of our country, contrary to our wishes, suggest a smaller number of warm sunny days.
In any case, this is not a reason for frustration, because it is not in vain that winter gardens have been specially built in the premises for a long time.
For some, the winter garden is a composition of large plants in the corner of the hall or living room.
Of course, the collection of your favorite plants on the windowsill is your miniature winter garden.
But speaking the language of designers, a winter garden is much more difficult.
It requires a separate room, for example, a special room or glazed and insulated loggia.
It should be borne in mind that the arrangement of a full-fledged winter garden will require compliance with a number of conditions important for its existence: this is the humidity of the air, and the presence of a sufficient amount of sunlight, as well as the appropriateness and compatibility of the plants themselves.
Vertical gardening
Vertical landscaping, installation completed
RaStenia
Fashionable vertical gardening in the favorites of interior designers.
Such a living wall decorates the walls of solid offices, fashionable restaurants and has long taken root in the interiors of many apartments and houses.
The most spectacular flowers on the wall look in the living room, where they can take up more space.
No less harmonious it can look in the bathroom, giving the feeling of a tropical jungle, and in the bedroom, pacifying and giving fresh air for a comfortable sleep.
Vertical gardening is possible
Live flowers
An indispensable attribute of floral decor in the house are fresh flowers, or bouquets.
This method of decorating the house has its advantages:
- Firstly, you can always change the variety of colors of your bouquets;
- secondly, decorative bouquets smell nice and are able to give a chic fresh aroma;
- Thirdly, they do not require care in case you do not have the desire or opportunity to care for the flowers in the pots.
However, this method of decoration has its drawbacks: ripped flowers do not live long, which causes them to be sufficiently expensive for permanent use.
Flower decor as a continuation of the interior style
Flowers can be effectively used in the continuation of the style of the room.
Take for example vases, the widest selection of which is presented in the modern market.
And for each style, there is undoubtedly its own.
Fill it with your favorite colors and the interior of your home will sparkle with new colors.
Flowers in pots
Flowers in pots are perhaps the basic and simplest element of floral decor in the house.
Here everything depends on the individual preferences of the owner, and the modern market will definitely be able to offer flowers for every taste and budget.
In addition, a separate element of the decor can be considered flower pots, the choice of which is also infinitely large.
With a thoughtful selection, they will help add colors to evergreen plants and, conversely, dilute the brightness of abundantly flowering plants.
Separately, the types of flower pots are described in the article What are flower pots.
Flower arrangement in a pot
Creating compositions from plants in one pot is simple and at the same time original and creative.
To do this, it is enough to take several plants of different appearance and size and a large pot.
Fill the pot with expanded clay to half, and put the selected plants so that they do not protrude above the level of the pot.
Voids need to be filled with expanded clay, small stones or a ground-sand mixture.
It is important to remember that when choosing flowering indoor plants, they must be in harmony with the tones of curtains, upholstery, bedspreads and other textiles.
And the main thing to remember that flowers require care, only then, they will not only decorate the room, but also recreate a cozy atmosphere of warmth and life in your home.
Need help with a home project?
Contact us!
Find inspirational ideas for your home

"Low-maintenance plants such as ivys, heucheras, and ferns are suitable for vertical gardens, and other options include the Dragon Tubeh and the Honeysuckle, which can purify the air and are easy to maintain."

Title:

Content: In order to improve the environmental air quality and let children learn with peace of mind, the Taichung Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has continued to build a clean air green wall in the school. This year, 12 schools in Jianping Elementary School, Juren Elementary School and Chongde Elementary School have received subsidies from the Environmental Protection Department.
According to the Environmental Protection Bureau, through the installation of clean air green walls, indoor air quality can be improved. At present, space such as classroom corridors and flower stands outside the daughter wall in Taichung City can be planted, which can achieve the benefits of dust retention, air pollution absorption and temperature regulation.
In order to strengthen the protection of the school environment for children, the Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau expanded the subsidy for the construction of a clean air green wall on the campus, and the current subsidy amount to 1.76 million yuan, with an area of 358 square meters.
The Environmental Protection Bureau stressed that currently selected plants that can purify the air and do not need to spend too much money and time to maintain include the Dragon Tubeh, the Junzi and Wu Bamboo, the Turtle, the Cannonflower or the Honeysuckle.
How good is the effect of clean air green wall?
According to international research, vertical clean air green walls can reduce the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10) by about 40% and 60%. In addition, green walls can also reduce the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in classrooms by about 10% and the concentration of ozone (O3) by about 30%.
Green wall is the most natural and energy efficient air purification facilities, no need to plug in electricity, self-circulation, to achieve the purpose of air purification, can be called the "most environmentally friendly air purifier".
Chen Hongyi, director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, said that in addition to blocking outdoor pollutants and improving indoor air, the air green wall can also adjust the temperature and drive energy conservation and carbon reduction. Next year, Taichung City is expected to expand the subsidy target, including community activity centers, public kindergartens and environmental night markets.
# Green Wall # Air # Cleanliness # Campus # Environment

When choosing plants for different climates, it's necessary to consider suitable plants for growth and management.

"For vertical gardens, suitable plants should be chosen based on different climates, considering factors such as humidity, sunlight, and plant compatibility."

Indoor green walls offer environmental benefits including air purification and temperature regulation.

Green surfaces, such as trees and plants, can contribute to improved air quality by producing oxygen through photosynthesis.

Adding green surfaces to buildings can improve their aesthetic appeal, contributing to a more beautiful urban environment.

Pothos, heart leaf philodendrons, and prayer plants are suitable for low-light vertical gardens, with prayer plants being able to thrive in very low-light conditions.

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.