Vertical Gardens Inspired By Nature

Nature can guide any gardener, horizontal or vertical. Choosing the right plant for the right place means matching growing conditions in the garden with those in nature. Looking at vertical gardens from this perspective, nature is a reference both in plant selection, design and optimizing the growing technique.

- Michael Hellgren

THE VERTICAL HABITAT

The most common vertical growing locations in nature are tree trunks and cliff faces, places characterized by little soil, good drainage and a solid surface for roots to attach to. While today there are many techniques available for creating vertical gardens, the felt technique most accurately replicates these growing conditions. Like a moist cliff face, a felt attached to a rigid backing board constitutes a well drained, solid and practically unlimited growing surface.

These conditions allow roots continuous growth, unlike a pot that restricts growth of the plant, hindering it to reach its’ full potential. Large growing plants can trail freely along the surface while anchor roots attach the plant securely as it grows larger and heavier over the years.

PLANT SELECTION

With the vertical habitat in mind, let’s look at some examples of interesting and useful plants for the indoor vertical garden. The indoor environment normally has low light levels and a temperature around 20 C, which in nature would correspond to a shadowed tropical environment, e.g. below a forest canopy.

Aroids (Araceae) is a plant family with many epiphytic (growing on other plants) and semi-epiphytic species having spectacular foliage, well suited as eye catching accent plants. Common aroid genera are Anthurium, Philodendron, Alocasia, Aglaonema, Monstera, Epipremnum, Scindapsus and Syngonium.

Philodendron giganteum is as the name implies a large growing aroid. It is a terrestrial or rock growing plant native to parts of the Caribbean and northern South America. An easy plant to grow on a vertical garden and after a couple of years it folds out impressive leaves.

Philodendron gloriosum is another fine accent plant, whose main feature is the dark, velvety leaves, with white veins accentuating the shape.