This new concept of gardening has developed in Switzerland and is not normally found in Indian gardens. A vertical garden require only a small space and if necessary, can be moved from place to place. It is an easy and interesting task to design a vertical garden. Let us discuss the things to remember while making a vertical garden in detail.
Difficulty level: Easy for first timers. Anyone can make a vertical garden but it should be done carefully.
Time required: A vertical garden can be made within two weeks.
Resources required
The main items required to make a vertical garden are:
1. Wooden frame
2. Wire nets
3. Wire frame
Making
This consists of a wooden frame of thickness varying from 15 to 30 cm depending upon convenience. The height and the breadth of the frame vary depending upon the available space. The broader faces are enclosed with wire netting whereas the two vertical sides (the thickness of the frame) and the bottom are covered with wooden flats. The top is kept open. Coarse peat is pressed within the wire frame which serves as the growing medium. It is possible to grow many dwarf flowering and foliage plants in such frames, then provide the medium to supply enough nutrients and water regularly.
Advantages
This type of gardening has some advantages. In cities, people living in flats have very little space for the conventional type of gardening, but can easily afford to put up a vertical garden. A vertical garden can be shifted from place to place and even used as an ornamental partition in the drawing room. Since the aeration and the drainage of the medium are perfect, the shallow-rooted plants needing very little anchorage will grow well. The vertical garden should be planted with either sun-loving dwarf and trailing flowering annuals such as Alyssum, pansy, or shade-loving foliage or flowering plants such as begonias, rex, African violets on the broader sides, which are expected to grow horizontally with the tendency to go vertical. On the vertical top also, some plants may be planted.
Instructions
A single vertical garden should not have a mixed planting, that is a combination of shade-loving and sun-loving plants. Plants are planted on both faces of the frame. The vertical garden is provided with legs on the sides to enable it to stand on its own. A rot-resistant wood such as teak should be used for the frame and in addition should be treated with a rot-resistant chemical such as cuprinol.
Quick tips
The vertical garden requires only a small space. That itself is the main advantage of this set up. Now only it is more popular in India. Firstly, it was widely followed by western countries only. By the influence of this western impact, Indians copied the style and procedure of making a vertical garden. Only we must bear in mind the difference in the climate and other ecological conditions. Now vertical gardening is more practical in our flats and villas. The method of making a vertical garden is simple, but the making steps should be strictly followed. Otherwise, the vertical garden will never look fine. One making a vertical garden should select the right resources and the format should be accurate. Then only a vertical garden will be proper in a limited space or area. There should be fine soil, a good medium for nutrients, water to assist a vertical garden.
Other aspects
As a vertical garden can be moved from place to place, it is now placed as an ornamental partition in our drawing rooms. Thus vertical garden enhance the charm and beauty of our home. A vertical garden thus makes our home close to nature and thus adds a scenic atmosphere to our place. Now many models of making a vertical garden are available. The only thing is to choose the right style of making.
Thus, vertical garden is more applicable to our Indian concepts also. We can say that the style of vertical garden came from the give and take process between the Western and Eastern culture. Indians copied the fine style of vertical garden from western countries. Now, vertical gardens are common in our homeland. The style of making a vertical garden is important. The format and the standing area must be carefully planned.
Thus the planning a vertical garden is an art. A good garden architect is born when we see a fine vertical garden. One planning to make a vertical garden should learn enough of our geology, geography, styles of gardening and above all should have a profound knowledge about plants. The first and the foremost thing is not to imitate simply a western vertical garden but one has to develop our own design giving due consideration to the local conditions. In each garden, there should be at least one feature or if there be a second these two should harmonize with each other. Thus, a nice vertical garden is a fine asset to our home.
