Innovative gardening techniques are pushing boundaries, urging green-thumbed enthusiasts to think beyond conventional landscapes and incorporate vertical garden walls in their homes. Perfect for those facing space constraints or looking to add a touch of aesthetic brilliance, vertical garden walls, also known as living walls or green walls, have become a popular choice for urban dwellers. Small plants play a key role in enhancing the beauty of these walls. This article will delve into a comprehensive list of small plants perfect for vertical garden walls, which will refresh your living space and render it eco-friendly.
Firstly, Ferns deserve a spot at the top of this list for their adaptability to low-light conditions, making them excellent candidates for indoor vertical garden walls. The button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia), with its button-like leaves emerging from a long stem, and the bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus), which forms a striking contrast with other plant species, are ideal for vertical gardens due to their dense foliage and small size.
English Ivy (Hedera helix) is another hardy climber offering versatility and resilience. Known for its rapid growth rate and the capability to filter indoor pollutants, English Ivy quickly covers a vertical garden wall forming a lush green backdrop. This shade-tolerant plant looks stunning when paired with other small plants.
Succulents like Echeveria and Sedum are an excellent option for outdoor vertical garden walls. These hardy plants thrive in sunny spots, require little moisture, and provide an array of colors, forms, and textures. Echeverias have fleshy leaves arranged in a rosette shape, while Sedum, also known as ‘stonecrop,’ is a vigorous grower offering vibrant colors.
Philodendrons, with their trailing vines and heart-shaped leaves, can also add charm to vertical garden walls. They are essentially indoor plants, requiring low light and little maintenance. The ‘Heartleaf’ (Philodendron scandens) and the ‘Brasil’ (Philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’) are two varieties that adapt beautifully to vertical gardens, creating a trailing waterfall of green.
Lipstick plants (Aeschynanthus radicans) are yet another excellent choice for vertical wall gardens. Known for their spectacular tube-shaped red flowers resembling a tube of lipstick, these plants thrive in high-humidity environments like bathrooms, making them a favorite choice for bathroom vertical walls.
Air plants (Tillandsia), the unassuming champions of vertical garden walls, do not require soil, opening up a new realm of design possibilities. They absorb nutrients through their leaves and can be squeezed into tight or awkward places, resulting in an intriguing visual variety.
For those desiring edible vertical garden walls, herbs like mint, basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme are also remarkable candidates. Growing herbs vertically not only saves space but provides a ready palette of flavors right in your kitchen. Ensure ample sunlight, efficient drainage, and appropriate feeding for them to flourish.
When opting for vertical garden walls, choosing appropriate plant varieties creates a dynamic mixture of color, texture, and density, resulting in a vibrant living piece of art that appeals to both sight and senses. Providing the right conditions like appropriate light, the correct watering regime, suitable temperature and humidity is just as crucial to the successful growth of the plants.
Maintenance should include regular watering adequate to each plant’s needs, and special attention should be given to plants at the top, which dry out faster. Regular fertilizer applications should be made to replace nutrients washed away during watering.
Creating vertical garden walls is an innovative way to embrace an environmentally friendly lifestyle while adding an undeniable aesthetic appeal to your living spaces. By incorporating small plants that are suitable for vertical gardens, you transform plain spaces into lush, verdant havens. Whether it’s succulents creating a desert-like representation in your living room or a cascade of ivy beautifying your bathroom, with the right set of small plants, vertical garden walls truly are miniature landscapes in your home.
