Vertical Gardens: Interior Design Ideas

Posted: 25 Apr 2013 09:13 AM PDT

Vertical gardens have been part of the human narrative since 500 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar II built The Hanging Gardens of Babylon to cure the homesickness that ailed his wife, Amytis of Media. The therapeutic benefits of gardens and the practice of gardening have also enjoyed a long association with Eastern philosophy and today, are even recognized by the inner circle of Western medicine, but as the global population creeps past 7 billion, the space to garden comes at a premium. Vertical gardens offer modern individuals the opportunity to cultivate a necessary connection to the earth, whether they live at ground level or on the 14th floor.

Indoor Residential Vertical Gardens

The following images depict the home office of world-renowned botanist and Father of the vertical garden, Patrick Blanc. He is later pictured standing in the foreground of one of his most famous creations- the green wall of the European Parliament in Brussels. Blanc's experience manifests in the production of large-scale garden installations. He credits his success to selecting only those species of plant which naturally grow in similar environments, such as rock and cliff-faces. He introduces tropical species from places that inspired him in the infancy of his work and is careful to cover the lower sections of the piece with those that are moisture-loving, leaving the higher sections to those that relish sunlight and are less affected by seasonal change.

If you would notice, the floor of his office forms part of a huge aquarium!

More indoor vertical garden inspiration from other sources:

Outdoor Residential Vertical Gardens

Moving outdoors, the collection continues to feature the home of Patrick Blanc, complete with magnificent living wall and outdoor shower. From a purely aesthetic perspective, vertical gardens lend both indoor and outdoor spaces a textural element like no other. Additionally, they drape exterior spaces constructed of wholly unnatural materials, such as concrete, often in heavily built up areas, in a natural element that calms and softens. From a practical perspective, what should be known about vertical gardens is that, if constructed correctly, they will not compromise the structural integrity of their host. Roots will only attempt to penetrate a structure upon starvation, so frequent and effective feeding and watering should see the plants contained to their assigned area. Vertical gardens grow out of wall-mounted capillary matting clad in PVC and structural wire netting, which is drip-fed with nutrient-enriched water to be recycled in much the same way as common hydroponics.