How to Make a Living Wall for a Breathtaking Vertical Garden
Putting plants on the walls can bring your home to life—literally. Liven up your space, indoors or outdoors, by adding a living wall made with easy-to-care-for and attractive succulents.
You may have seen them at the cool new restaurant in town or in a modern hotel, but living walls aren’t just for contemporary public places. You can easily build your own to hang inside or outside your home. And the perks don’t stop with just how cool they look: These plants work hard to purify the air naturally, reducing carbon dioxide levels and airborne dust. Plus, research shows that indoor landscaping has a positive effect on mental health.
Using thick plastic sheeting to line the inside of the wood frame protects the wood (and the walls of your home) from damage. It’s important to not have rips or tears in the sheeting so water stays where it’s supposed to. Landscaping material is breathable, allowing water to pass through it and ensuring that your plants have a healthy, moist environment to live in. The second sheet of landscaping material will act as the barrier for the dirt, the most important “wall” of your planter. This breathable barrier is also important because it allows oxygen into the soil and passes nutrients to the roots of your plants.
The number of succulents needed to fill the frame will depend on the size of your succulents and how dense you want your wall to be. Keep in mind that the planter will fill out as the plants grow. Smaller, lighter succulents will be easier to plant and will sit up better when turned vertically. It’s important to consider the location of your finished wall in terms of weather, sunlight, and seasonal changes. You can use other types of plants as well, depending on what works best in your climate. We used mostly Echeveria, Senecio, and sedum.
Related: Succulent Care Guide
This project is best completed with a friend in a space that can get a little dirty.
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