How to Make Your Garden Grow
No Space? Try a Vertical Garden
Brent Hoffman
No matter how small your home, there's room for a garden if you're prepared to think outside the square. More and more tenants and homeowners are greening their thumbs by creating gardens in the tiniest of spaces, using the clever idea of a vertical garden.
What exactly is a vertical garden?
A vertical garden is just like a traditional flat or horizontal garden, but much, much more clever. By raising your garden up, instead of out, a vertical garden not only saves you space,but it can also be positioned to capture whatever sun you have available.
There are many forms of vertical garden, some far more complex than others. If you think a vertical garden might be just the thing for your home, take a look at these two models.
The vertical herb garden
The simplest of common vertical garden models, the vertical herb garden is simply a series of garden boxes stacked above one another, either on a stand or mounted directly on a wall. Many herbs are well suited to life in a pot, and there's nothing quite like popping out to the garden for a few fresh herbs to add to dinner.
Potted gardens are great for renters, while homeowners may prefer a wall-mounted version. If you do choose to mount your vertical herb garden onto a wall using wire shelving, take care to protect the wall from the water that will spill over when you water your plants.
The green wall
The far more complex end of the vertical garden spectrum is the green wall model, which uses a specialised, lightweight mulch, rather than soil, in which to grow your plants. If you're installing a green wall system, choose plants that grow happily together. As their roots intertangle, they will support each other, adding stability to your garden and helping it thrive. Green walls can be quite expensive to install—with some including inbuilt irrigation systems—and are more suited to homeowners than renters.
Many people love gardens of all shapes and sizes because they are great for the environment, reducing carbon dioxide in the air, filtering airborne chemicals emitted from passing cars and the built environment, and even regulating the temperature and reducing the noise around you. But did you know that gardens are also great for your mental health too? Apart from the soothing effect of a garden as it insulates you from the harsher aspects of modern life, just the simple act of watering and tending your garden encourages deeper breathing and releases stress.
So take a little time to enjoy a vertical garden. You'll be glad you did.
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For many years, I didn't give much thought to my garden. However, all of that changed when I retired from my job working as a lawyer in downtown Sydney. I suddenly discovered that I had a lot of time on my hands. I didn't know what to do with it. After a few weeks, I started to become slightly depressed. My wife could see what was happening and she suggested that I take up gardening so I called up my sister who is an expert with the plants and trees. She came to stay with me and my wife for a couple of weeks and taught me everything she could.