If you decide to install a green wall in your office or any other place, you will have a very important and responsible task to select specific plant species for your own vertical garden. The possibilities here are really huge - paradoxically, too wide a choice may be the problem. Of course, if you could not decide, we always offer advice and assistance, and we try to consider each case individually. However, it is worth taking a moment and thinking over your own concept, especially if you belong to the enthusiasts of popular potted flowers.
Choose flowers that do not require too much space and attention
When planting green walls, the basic principle is to select such plant species that are as easy to grow as possible and do not require a large amount of space. This applies to both above-ground and underground parts of popular potted plants. Plant roots have limited space for growth in the vertical garden. In addition, there is one more complication, namely the tight arrangement of individual flowers. Plants are thus forced to compete for light and valuable space.
In general, the vast majority of popular domestic species can be used in vertical gardens. The most important thing to remember is that these plants should not be too demanding. Otherwise, they will not make it in the specific conditions created by the green wall. There is no point in adding plants, that are doomed to fail with stronger competitors, to the garden. One more important requirement concerns the root ball - it cannot be too large and overgrown.
Only healthy, proven specimens!
Another extremely important rule is keeping the good condition of individual species. All plants that will be used to fill the green wall should be absolutely healthy; what is more, it's important to choose species that are resistant to diseases and parasite attacks. It is enough to bring a plant from an unreliable source to the office or house, and it turns out to be sick and infects other plants very easily. It is worth being aware that the treatment of the vertical garden takes a lot of time and is very complicated, especially considering the fact that we want to avoid spraying aggressive plant protection products around us.
The selection of specific plants depends on the conditions
In the green wall, it is possible to use most of the well-known potted flowers that are usually grown indoors. Exotic potted plants or popular ferns are perfect to be grown in rooms. On the other hand, the balcony plants, which after winter need to be replaced, stand the test on the balconies and on the outer seasonal walls; they are also worth choosing. In fact, everything depends on the conditions that we are able to provide in a given room, or on conditions that are present in a specific open space. The vast majority of herbaceous plants will survive, provided that they receive enough light and will grow at the right temperature.
What is not recommended for a green wall?
Very delicate plants and succulents are certainly not a good choice for the vertical garden. At the first chance, they will be overshadowed by other stronger species or mechanically damaged. After a short time they will be just overgrown and there will be no trace of them.
Another group are plants that can be easily planted on the wall but it is not known whether they will stand the test in any interior. An example of this are the mentioned ferns that like high air humidity - they are so fussy that in some conditions they can cause problems.
What will definitely stand the test in the vertical garden?
The green wall is a perfect place for plants of the arum family and vines which will create a nice and durable base for the composition. Philodendrons, scindapsuses, as well as cissuses are especially recommended. As interesting elements, we can plant species that do not use the substrate in their natural environment (these are the so-called epiphytes), among others orchids - one of the most frequently bought potted plants that are easy to care for and bloom for a long time as well as a lot plants of the bromeliaceae family. It should be taken into account that usually similar flowers come from tropical zones, and thus they are not suitable for keeping outside in our Polish climate.
?The vertical garden is a perfect place for plants such as Spathiphyllum - with beautiful, shiny leaves and extremely interesting inflorescences, Chlorophytum and Maranta. Plants of the Bromeliaceae family and ficuses are also very popular. Dracaena, Calatea, Stromanthe and Microsorum pteropus look beautiful. Monstera and Platycerium are perfect for larger areas. Ivy dominates invariably in the green walls and in pots. The popularity of Hedera results to a large extent from utility values - ivy has low requirements for growing conditions and is suitable for versatile use, but it often catches a popular parasite - red spider mite in poorly ventilated rooms. These species are just suggestions - the range of suitable plants is obviously much wider.
Whatever plants will be put into the green wall, it should be remembered that correct careful care is the basis for their maintenance. In addition to watering and fertilising, it is also necessary to cut plants. The effects of systematic work, however, go beyond your wildest expectations!
