Climbing up the walls:
Making the most out of small outdoor spaces
As Sydney grows, it seems outdoor spaces shrink to accommodate newcomers, encouraging homeowners to become much more creative with their landscaping ventures.
In the past growing plants in containers, topiary and growing climbers have been commonplace, but the latest growing trend is seen in vertical gardens, which simulate natural cliff situations. The Central Park complex in Chippendale is a good example of a vertical garden.
As the trend of vertical gardens is still emerging, forming one from scratch involves a lot of trial and error. Horticulturist Mark Paul, of the GreenWall Company (which, as we can tell by its namesake, specialises in the art of the vertical garden) says there are about 30,000 plant species that can be adapted to a green wall.
Starting your own vertical garden is a relatively simple process if you have the time, patience and equipment. Attach some lattice to the intended vertical garden wall. Then find a coat hanger and bend it so that it’s pliable enough to be wrapped over a pot planted with a leafy, hardy philodendron or bromeliad. Then you can use the hanger to attach the pot to the lattice and presto – vertical garden!
Apart from your standard philodendrons or bromeliads, here are some plants that are ripe for vertical gardening that we’ve been enjoying lately:
1. Geranium spp. and hybrids
2. Ferns (clumping, trailing or epiphytic ferns for shaded spaces)
3. Begonia
4. Hosta (however, they die over winter)
5. Baby’s tears/Helxine
6. Hoya
7. Japanese iris
8. Rock lily
Want more? learn how to make the most of your timber deck this winter!
What’s your top tip for the making the most of smaller outdoor spaces?
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