Introduction

Imagine gazing out from your Living Room balcony in a bustling urban environment, only to be greeted by the sight of luscious green plants adorning concrete side walls. This concept, known as a Vertical Garden, presents both exciting possibilities and inherent challenges. Though the concept of going Vertical to cultivate plants has picked popularity recently in Urban scenarios, the technique has been practiced through early ages. It’s not surprising, that the very mention of vertical gardening instantly flashes the images of the renowned Hanging Gardens of Babylon, in our minds.

How Do You Define a Vertical Garden?

So, before we delve into the prospects and challenges, let’s understand what’s exactly a Vertical Garden with its variations, both in terms of design and technique. Simply stated:

‘A Vertical Garden is the one that utilizes vertical walls rather than the usual horizontal space.‘

Many a time, these gardens are popularly referred to as ‘Green Walls or Living Walls” and all of these terms are used interchangeably. These walls can be treated as innovative botanical installations that bring greenery within the domain of urban spaces by utilizing vertical surfaces. They can be indoors or outdoors and typically incorporating a variety of plants, including mosses, ferns, succulents, and even small flowering plants.

Are Vertical Gardens Biophilic in Nature?

We can easily say that the ‘Hanging Gardens of Babylon’ were developed in an ancient civilization, applying the concepts of ‘Biophilic Architecture’.

Biophilic Architecture is a unique approach to design a building that seeks to connect the building occupants more closely with nature.

Yes, living walls are considered biophilic elements in architecture and design. The term “biophilia” itself refers to the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.

Key principles of biophilic architecture include:

1. Natural Light and Air: Maximizing natural light and ventilation to create a healthier and more pleasant indoor environment.
2. Natural Materials: Using natural materials such as wood, stone, and bamboo that create a tactile connection with nature.
3. Vegetation and Greenery: Incorporating plants, green walls, and indoor gardens to introduce nature into interior spaces.
4. Views of Nature: Designing spaces to offer views of natural landscapes, water features, or green spaces, which can reduce stress and improve well-being.
5. Natural Shapes and Forms: Incorporating organic shapes and forms inspired by nature into architectural elements and design.
6. Sensory Experience: Engaging multiple senses through the use of textures, sounds (such as water features), and natural scents.
7. Bioclimatic Design: Designing buildings to respond to local climate conditions and minimize environmental impact.

Starting With Vertical Gardening

Having defined them, let’s look into what enablers we would need to create some stunning setups working vertically up with ornamental houseplants and edibles. Vertical garden projects span a spectrum from small-scale home gardens to mid-sized installations in commercial settings and mega-sized urban initiatives. Each scale offers unique opportunities to enhance living spaces, promote sustainability, and integrate nature into the built environment.

Here are the key considerations for vertical garden projects, emphasizing design, maintenance, environmental impact, and community engagement:

Plant Selection: Choose plants that thrive in vertical environments and suit the specific conditions (light, humidity, temperature) of the location.

Structural Support: Ensure the vertical structure can support the weight of plants, soil or growing medium, irrigation systems, and withstand environmental conditions (wind, rain, etc.).

Irrigation Systems: Implement efficient watering systems such as drip irrigation or hydroponics to minimize water usage and ensure even distribution to all plants.

Maintenance Protocols: Establish a maintenance plan that includes regular watering, pruning, fertilizing, pest control, and monitoring of plant health and system functionality.

Types of Vertical Gardens

There exists a lot of variations in this category of gardening technique. So, is working vertically up with plants an EASY ball game? Well, the answer to this depends on what we intend to create with plants, and at what scale. Whatever the type may be, the versatility of vertical gardening helps in creating green zones and is a niche of modern-day Urban Planning. They convert the most compact, routine, cramped and unusual places adding the elements of beauty and grace.

We will now see the different variations of vertical gardening. For the ease of understanding we have grouped each of them, into two categories based on ease or difficulty which can be encountered during installation and maintenance-

Easy (DIY) types of Vertical Gardens

These are the arrangements which are quite straightforward and can be set up in no time. They are relatively simpler to install and do not require any professional help or guidance. These setups are the ones which are recommended for home and at individual level. Even though we consider them to be simpler to begin with and maintain, for first-time gardeners it is better that they preplan every step of the project before-hand. Initial research should include the ideal varieties of plants, support structures, appropriate potting media, planter sizes, nutrient mix and other necessary components which are a MUST for best outcomes.

• Hanging Basket Planters & Pots- Creating a combination of hanging baskets with ornamental or edible plants can be both visually appealing and practical to handle. This is an excellent choice for beginners and offers gardening solution to a compact urban balcony setting.
• Climbers on a Trellis- Creating a vertical garden with climbers trained on a steel wire trellis is a fantastic way to maximize space and add greenery to your environment. Whenever the plantations are grown next to concrete structures, they act as green screens automatically producing shade effect on the walls. This eventually leads to heat reduction and aids in cooling the internal temperature of the premises.
• Use of Box Planters-Creating a vertical garden on a windowsill using window boxes as planters with brackets underneath is indeed a traditional and effective method of vertical gardening, especially for small spaces or urban environments. These planters are generally used to cultivate herbs and edible plants on a sunny window. Box planters with colorful flowers enhance the look of the property from the exterior too.
• Modular Framework of Planters –Creating vertical gardens using modular system of frameworks attached to walls, which feature rows of detachable acrylic planters, is a modern and versatile approach to vertical gardening. This type of setup has four advantages – a) They are extremely lightweight and hence do not cause structural damage to the walls. b) They are a pocket friendly alternative. c) They are extremely easy to find in most Online stores d) Individual planters can be detached and brought down during pruning and maintenance.
• Use of Grow Bag Modular System- Growing plants in a modular system that includes a framework attached to a wall, with plants grown in special grow bags slotted into the walls, is a practical yet efficient method of vertical gardening.

Ambitious (non-DIY)

At times there are scenarios where we would want our gardens to go to a next level in terms of what we cultivate and how we do it. This would need the use of latest techniques and knowledge which helps us achieve it. An example could be that we aspire to grow Cherry Tomatoes on a high-rise balcony garden. Another case could be that a barren wall needs to get cladding with natural lawn grass. Involving professionals in these scenarios ensures that we achieve our gardening aspirations effectively and with confidence. Their guidance and expertise can turn our ambitious ideas into successful realities.

Large-scale vertical gardening projects absolutely need the expertise of a Landscape or Hydroponic Expert. Depending on the design and application of the project, one or both of them might be needed.

We will now be grouping this category further into two categories: Based on the Application and on the Scale.

Non-DIY Vertical Gardens- Based on the Application

• Hydroponic Vertical Gardens: Creating a hydroponic vertical garden using wall-mounted channels is a rewarding project that combines innovation with efficient plant cultivation techniques. With careful planning and maintenance, you can enjoy a productive and sustainable garden right on your home wall. This unique approach to gardening maximizes space efficiency and allows for controlled nutrient delivery using water circulation. With practice, this technique is best suited to cultivate edible greens and small fruiting varieties.
• Steep Slope Vertical Gardens: Creating a vertical garden effect with trailing plants on steep slopes not only transforms the landscape but also contributes to environmental sustainability and biodiversity. With thoughtful plant selection and proper care, one can enjoy a vibrant and thriving vertical garden that enhances the outdoor space for years to come.
• Vertical Gardens on Large Outdoor Walls-Creating a vertical garden of this type is a dynamic way to utilize vertical space. They enhance aesthetics and introduce greenery on barren outdoor walls. These installations being large in size need careful planning and professional landscaping.

Non-DIY Vertical Gardens – Based on the Scale

• Mid-Sized Vertical Gardens –These gardens are developed in commercial settings such as offices, hotels, restaurants, and retail spaces. They serve aesthetic, branding, and environmental purposes. These may include a variety of plant types to create a visually striking and welcoming atmosphere.
• Mega Scale Vertical Gardens- Mega-sized vertical gardens are monumental in scale, often serving as iconic landmarks or sustainable urban infrastructure projects. These projects include extensive green facades covering large buildings or structures, urban agriculture installations on skyscrapers, or vertical forests designed to mitigate urban heat islands and air pollution. Engineering expertise is crucial for mega-sized vertical gardens due to structural considerations, water management systems, and environmental impact assessments. They may incorporate advanced technologies such as hydroponics, automated monitoring and climate control.

The prospects –

• They create an interesting Landscaping Element: Mundane looking, boring concrete walls can be easily clad with plantations adding both colour and life to them. Vertical gardens introduce a variety of colors, textures, and shapes to otherwise plain walls, creating visual interest and enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the environment.
• They serve as Kitchen Gardens: Where space is a limitation, the concept of growing vertically can become a handy replacement of a Backyard Kitchen Garden, which can be used to cultivate healthy and homegrown pesticide free leafy greens and small fruiting varieties.
• They provide Garden Solution for Apartment Living: If one wants to achieve amazing visual results with plants, which does not need too much of space, certainly vertical gardening can be considered.
• They act as Sustainable Solutions for Temperature Control: In the era of Global Warming and rapid Climate Change these gardens act as the most doable sustainable solutions of Temperature Control. Green walls can reduce the urban heat island effect by providing shade and evaporative cooling, thereby improving microclimates in densely built areas.
• They purify the air around them: Plants are the best air purifiers, the more the better! Green wall installations act as a source of Oxygen thereby reducing the ill effects of pollution and bad air quality which is so common in urban areas. Vegetation absorbs and diffuses sound, making vertical gardens effective in reducing noise pollution from nearby roads or urban activities.

The challenges –

• They can be difficult to reach: As we create Vertical Layers of plants the top layer or row might become a hard-to-reach zone. Hence the plants on the top layers might get slightly neglected over a period of time. Reaching out to the higher levels of plant rows can also have added safety issues. It is very critical to pay attention to this factor specifically when working on balcony projects installed on higher floors of a building.
• They can have maintenance issues: Plants need regular care, tending & pruning so as to thrive well. Due to the height of the setup at times they can have more maintenance issues than those potted in ground.
• They may require special type of Irrigation Technique: As all plants would need regular and uniform watering right from the ones on lowermost layer to the ones on the topmost layer irrigation may need to be automated. This could need pumping of water as well as nutrients, by drip line.
• They may cause structural damage: Most of the times these plants would be growing in close proximity to some concrete wall, whether outside or inside an establishment. Their root systems, especially those of Climbers could cling on to the surfaces causing harm to the structure.
• They may be difficult with Pest Management: When encountered with pest menace, it could be difficult to administer pesticides or insect sprays.

Key Suggestions to Combat Challenges

1.Group Plants by Maintenance Needs: Arrange plants with similar maintenance requirements on the same level. Place plants requiring frequent attention or delicate care on lower layers where they are more accessible. Reserve top layers for hardier or less maintenance-intensive species.

2.Critical Plant Selection: Plants should be selected carefully keeping the climate and growing conditions in mind.

3.Platforms or Ladders: Integrate platforms or movable ladders into the design to facilitate access to upper layers for maintenance tasks such as pruning, watering, and pest control.

4.Drip Irrigation: Install drip irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the root zone of plants, reducing the need for manual watering and reaching upper layers.

5.Secure Structures: Ensure that vertical garden structures are securely anchored and stable to support maintenance activities and prevent accidents.

6.Modular Systems: Select modular vertical garden systems that allow for easier reconfiguration and adjustment of plant placement based on maintenance accessibility concerns.

7.Timer Controls: Use timers to automate irrigation schedules, ensuring consistent moisture levels without constant monitoring.

8.Selective Pruning: Train plants to grow within designated areas using trellises or supports. Regularly prune plants to maintain shape and prevent overgrowth, focusing efforts on accessible areas first.

9.Use of Extenders: Use pruning tools with extendable handles or attachments to reach plants on upper layers without needing to physically climb or use ladders frequently.

10.Task Delegation (For Large Scale Projects): Involve multiple team members or volunteers in garden maintenance, assigning specific responsibilities and zones to ensure comprehensive care.

Conclusion

On an Individual Home Scale – As the open land spaces in Urban areas continue to shrink and become more and more unavailable for cultivation and gardening, having a traditional style Backyard Garden or a thriving Kitchen Farm sounds like a faraway dream to most. In such a scenario, its but natural to crave for a sustainable alternative which gives us an opportunity to fulfill this void.

Though, Vertical Gardens come with their own set of challenges, these are not the ones which cannot be overcome. The merits of owning your own growing space thriving with lush greenery, fresh harvests coming through all year round and beautiful blooms adding a visual splash of colour and fragrance makes Vertical Gardens an extremely worthwhile endeavor.

At a Community Level – They serve to enhance community engagement. Vertical gardens in public spaces encourage community involvement and pride, fostering a sense of ownership and well-being among residents.

Their integration into urban landscapes represents a forward-thinking approach to urban design that prioritizes both human well-being and ecological health.

“ Let’s Breathe Life into Our Surroundings”!!