Green wall technology is becoming increasingly popular amongst interior designers and gardeners alike. But what is a green wall?
A living green wall, or vertical garden, is a wall which can be either part of a building or free standing which is, either partially or completely covered with foliage.
Here we will look into the benefits of green wall technology and look into how you can install your very own green wall for your home.
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Placing a green wall in an office, in the home or in any similar establishment can bring with it great benefits, these are as follows;
Improved air quality
It has been scientifically proven that flora can improve air quality, indeed the Amazon rainforest is often referred to as ‘the lungs of the world’.
It will come as no surprise then, that the installation of a green wall in any environment can help to vastly improve the quality of air.
The green walls act as natural air filters, filtering out unclean air whilst releasing clean oxygen. This can have great benefits to the home. A green wall will filter out all the bad toxins in the air and can greatly help to improve the overall health of the inhabitants.
Excellent Aesthetics
Anybody who has seen a finished green wall will no doubt agree that they can provide some stunning aesthetics anywhere they are installed.
Excellent for the home, a green wall can turn any dull and dreary room into an inviting and alluring environment. This can be great for creating a great first impression for potential buyers, or for creating a nice, relaxed atmosphere for throwing parties. It can also provide a great talking point at the start of a party!
Reduced energy costs
We all know that costs for using the air conditioning to cool the room can go through the roof, so it is nice to know that green walls can help in that aspect.
Through a process known as evapotranspiration, the air surrounding the green wall is naturally cooled. This creates a much more pleasant living environment for everybody concerned whilst also meaning less need to switch on that expensive air conditioning!
Reduced Noise Levels
How can a bunch of plants help to reduce noise levels? This is one of the lesser known benefits of a green wall. Indeed, recent research has shown that interior greenery can greatly help to reduce background noise.
They do this by absorbing or reflecting noise which comes its way, thus creating a much more pleasant environment for all concerned.
So if your home is one which is particularly susceptible to large amounts of background noise, the installation of a green wall could help to rectify that problem and help create a lovely peaceful living atmosphere.
How can you go about building your own green wall?
Green walls are great for people who don’t have much horizontal space for themselves and the great news is you can construct your own green wall.
A great way to make a start is to choose the wall which you wish to turn into your very own green wall. The best choice is usually the wall which you feel is the ‘ugliest’ or in its current state has the least to offer to the house.
You will then need to build a frame for your green wall. You will need a good solid structure which is going to be able to successfully hang onto a wall. Plastic is generally considered the most appropriate material to use. A plastic sheet must be attached to the frame to stop water from leaking out.
Now you are ready to attach a layer of fabric to the frame which will act as the ‘garden’ where your plants will live and grow from. Use a material which has effective water retention properties, felt is often the material of choice here.
You will now need to set up an irrigation system for the water to be able to reach all parts of the wall, the usual style is to attach a tube across the top of your wall which then drips water down throughout the whole structure. As this is one of the most important aspects, you will most likely want to consult an expert in the field. At this point you will also need to add a fertilising system.
Finally you will want to choose and insert the plants you want to include in your green wall; this is entirely down to personal preference but do take into account the current aesthetics of the room or garden where you are constructing your green wall
For a more in depth guide to creating your own green wall, take a look at this guide to green walls by Ambius.
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License: Creative Commons
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Estelle Page is an eco-friendly interior designer with a passion for bringing the outdoors in.