How To Build A Vertical Garden

If you’re one of the many Australians that reside in an apartment, it can be difficult to craft a green space. Thankfully, a vertical garden offers a solution. 

Once upon a time, the “Great Australian Dream” was owning a three bedroom home on a quarter acre block, generally in the suburbs outside of the nation’s capital cities. However, times have certainly changed, and it’s no secret that the size of our properties have shrunk. While making the most of living in a smaller than average space isn’t exactly new, block sizes are becoming smaller thanks to a lack of land availability combined with housing demand. 

As such, residing in an apartment, unit or flat is becoming increasingly common for many Australians, particularly for those who call the major cities home. As one in ten of our nation’s residents now identify as having no access to a backyard, introducing a green space to these types of structures requires thinking outside of the box. Thankfully, the option of a vertical garden presents a way to have the best of both worlds. 

A Beginner’s Guide To Creating A Vertical Garden 

The concept of a vertical garden is linked to the philosophy of “if you can’t go out, go up”. Even if you have enough space for more traditional pots, plants or flower beds, vertical gardens are a great solution if your lifestyle demands a low maintenance green space. Apart from the usual watering and feeding requirements, a vertical garden often takes care of itself once established. 

For those looking to jump on this gardening trend bandwagon, the good news is that vertical gardens come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The very term itself can cover just about any upright plant arrangement, so if you’re looking to make one yourself, there’s plenty of options to choose from. 

Living Wall – Living walls are one of the hottest gardening trends to emerge in recent years, increasingly making their way into not only residential gardens but also into commercial buildings. Living walls are vertical gardens, where plants are rooted into a structure that is attached to a wall. To create a lush space full of foliage, consider plants like ferns which are all too happy to grow in such conditions. 

Vine Vibes – From banksia rose to bougainvillea, climbing plants sure are a versatile lot and can be an option for a smaller balcony or outdoor space. Often grown for their flowers, foliage, scent or even fruit, they can be used to form screen walls and fences, provide shelter from the sun and most of all they add interest and height to your vertical garden. 

Wire Grid System– Securing a wire mesh grid to a surface is one of the most flexible choices when it comes to making a vertical garden, as it allows homeowners to hang individual pots or planters and expand the size of their green space if or when they desire to do so. It also makes caring for individual plants much easier, as each pot can be removed for maintenance. 

Pocket Planters – Pocket planters provide an easy, affordable way to create your own living wall of plants, and their soft, pouch-type containers are ideal for shallow root varieties such as herbs, onions and succulents. Avoid “bushy” veggies like strawberries and lettuce, as these prefer larger rigid containers to thrive. 

DIY Galore – While there are plenty of portable vertical garden systems available at your nearest hardware store, growing upright plants also provides the opportunity to get your hands dirty with an easy DIY project. Crafting an old ballet box into a vertical garden can be a great project without breaking the bank, or even use old picture frames instead. 

Ultimately, the more you’re able to encourage a self-sufficient and sustainable ecosystem in your vertical garden, the happier your new plants and seedlings will be. However, sometimes your flora friends may need a little extra help in fending off unwanted invaders, but that doesn’t mean resorting to pesticides that may have negative consequences on the health of your soil, plants, and even local wildlife – so what’s the alternative?

Embrace The Safer Way To Spray  

Spending time outside and in the garden is not only good for our overall well being, but it’s also an easy way to start educating yourself on the importance of sustainability. 

If you’re noticing foreign invaders popping up in your garden, a naturally produced weed killer like Bioweed is a safe way to keep them under control. As a non-residual solution, it will break down into the soil in as little as 72 hours and can combat over 200 invasive weed species, making it safe for you, your family, your pets, and your local native wildlife to navigate. 

Bioweed is the brainchild of well established agricultural leader Greenpro, and is backed by over twenty years of research and development. Owned and manufactured in Australia, the primary ingredient of Bioweed is actually sustainably sourced pine oil, and is even approved by NASAA, ACO and APVMA for use around organic farms and food production.

If you’re on the hunt for a natural weed killer, more organic gardening solutions, or simply want to know more about eliminating weeds safely, check out other tips and tricks in our online advice forum, or contact us for any further queries.