These 10 Walls are Alive!
Grow a plant or a whole garden on indoor and outdoor walls for an earth-friendly element
Living walls and roofs are probably the first things that come to mind when a newcomer to the biophilic design approach attempts to wrap his or her head around the term. While plants are by no means the only, or even the best, way to express a naturalistic inclination in our homes, they deserve a special place in any environmentally minded home. Of the many trends that suggest that a major cultural shift toward biophilic design is on the horizon, living walls and green roofs are the most striking. It’s hard not to feel invigorated in a sea of green.
2. Rooftop rainforest
Making use of so much surface area for a rooftop garden makes intuitive sense, especially for homeowners who want to make their home greener but don’t get enough sunlight to justify installing solar panels. Living roofs offer a variety of benefits, such as ecosystem regeneration and natural temperature regulation. They require extra thought and planning to ensure that the weight of the soil is adequately supported, but the physical and emotional rewards can be well worth it.
Making use of so much surface area for a rooftop garden makes intuitive sense, especially for homeowners who want to make their home greener but don’t get enough sunlight to justify installing solar panels. Living roofs offer a variety of benefits, such as ecosystem regeneration and natural temperature regulation. They require extra thought and planning to ensure that the weight of the soil is adequately supported, but the physical and emotional rewards can be well worth it.
3. Green car port
Green walls makes an inspired addition to a car port, that big hulking box we’d usually rather hide or disguise. With a plant wall, there’s no need — the car port becomes something to celebrate.
Green walls makes an inspired addition to a car port, that big hulking box we’d usually rather hide or disguise. With a plant wall, there’s no need — the car port becomes something to celebrate.
4. Wonder wall
Walls, like garages, aren’t always the most attractive and inviting structures, but with a little imagination, they can become living sculptures. Try playing with different plant species to create a striated pattern on the wall, emphasising height and verticality.
Walls, like garages, aren’t always the most attractive and inviting structures, but with a little imagination, they can become living sculptures. Try playing with different plant species to create a striated pattern on the wall, emphasising height and verticality.
5. Renewed chill-out room
As with everything in decorating and in life, a little can go a long way. Just as you might pick up the pattern or colour of your window treatment in a coordinating pillow, plant life has been carried from the wall to the table in this billiard lounge. Both stand out in glorious contrast to the sea of studied neutrals.
As with everything in decorating and in life, a little can go a long way. Just as you might pick up the pattern or colour of your window treatment in a coordinating pillow, plant life has been carried from the wall to the table in this billiard lounge. Both stand out in glorious contrast to the sea of studied neutrals.
6. Green-topped wall
With a little bit of sunlight, climbing vines can make your living room feel as though it’s been colonised by nature. An entire wall is possible but not necessary; accenting the top with vines will have the same majestic effect of a secret garden overflowing a retaining wall. But choose your vine well and consider supporting it on a trellis – some vines can damage walls to which they cling.
With a little bit of sunlight, climbing vines can make your living room feel as though it’s been colonised by nature. An entire wall is possible but not necessary; accenting the top with vines will have the same majestic effect of a secret garden overflowing a retaining wall. But choose your vine well and consider supporting it on a trellis – some vines can damage walls to which they cling.
7. Stylishly spare
A living wall doesn’t have to be lush and chock-full of plants. Vines look just as swell in sparse wisps. Yes, this counts as a living wall!
A living wall doesn’t have to be lush and chock-full of plants. Vines look just as swell in sparse wisps. Yes, this counts as a living wall!
8. Bucket list
This wall of bucket planters also counts as a living wall. A setup like this allows for experimentation, as different plant species can be tested out here and moved into the garden if they don’t thrive indoors. Empty spots look like part of the design rather than a result of indecision or poor plant tending. These planters would also be a terrific venue for a kitchen herb garden.
Simple Kitchen Herb Gardening, Indoors!
This wall of bucket planters also counts as a living wall. A setup like this allows for experimentation, as different plant species can be tested out here and moved into the garden if they don’t thrive indoors. Empty spots look like part of the design rather than a result of indecision or poor plant tending. These planters would also be a terrific venue for a kitchen herb garden.
Simple Kitchen Herb Gardening, Indoors!
9. Natural art
San Francisco designer Lindy Donnelly used two plant-filled frames in lieu of artwork over the bedside tables here. This is a great solution when you have wall space you’d like to decorate but don’t want the specificity of artwork. Plants always read as an eclectic neutral.
San Francisco designer Lindy Donnelly used two plant-filled frames in lieu of artwork over the bedside tables here. This is a great solution when you have wall space you’d like to decorate but don’t want the specificity of artwork. Plants always read as an eclectic neutral.
10. Hallway hothouse
A green wall is an absolute home run for a hallway opposite large glass windows, doors or skylights. Situating your green wall to maximise sunlight is key.
TELL US
What are your walls ‘alive’ with? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
MORE
The House Plants to Grow to Make You a Green Thumb
How to Plant Your Outdoor Vertical Garden
A green wall is an absolute home run for a hallway opposite large glass windows, doors or skylights. Situating your green wall to maximise sunlight is key.
TELL US
What are your walls ‘alive’ with? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments section.
MORE
The House Plants to Grow to Make You a Green Thumb
How to Plant Your Outdoor Vertical Garden
We’ll start with a biggie: An entire exterior clad with plants can attract bees, insects and birds, creating a mini ecosystem to replace the one that was lost to the building’s foundation. It’s obviously best to design a new build to minimize the effect on the ecosystem. But planting a living wall can be a great way to upgrade an existing structure as an alternative to demolishing it or trucking in new materials to make it pretty again. When debating sustainable, biophilic strategies, always err on the side of leaving the fewest scars on the earth.