Are you struggling to find enough gardening space to grow all your plants?
Consider creating a garden wall. Garden walls are spectacular features that boost your outdoor space aesthetics. Not to mention, garden walls save you a lot of space.
As the name suggests, a garden wall is simply a garden planted on the wall. These functional features use underutilized wall spaces and enable you to grow a wide range of plants, both edible and non-edible.
Depending on the location, garden walls also allow you to grow plants all year round.
Factors to consider before planting my garden wall
When creating a garden wall, you should consider a few factors. Some of them include:
Wall type:
First, examine the kind of walls you have. Typically, your walls should be strong enough to support the weight of the garden wall. Remember, you’ll have to fill your containers/galvanized buckets with fertile potting soil.
The more the soil, the heavier the planting pots. Ensure that your wall can support the weight of your grow bags or planting pots.
Space:
Choose an area with enough room for your gardening wall. The location should be large enough to accommodate hanging hooks and planting pots. Note that the size of the gardening wall depends on the plant species you want to grow.
For instance, if you plan to grow just one plant type, you don’t need a lot of space. On the flip side, if you plan to grow different plant types, you need a large gardening wall.
Landscape:
The landscape of your area should accommodate the garden wall. The landscape should be uniform and robust to provide a reliable foundation for the garden wall.
Type of plants:
It is important to note that garden walls do not support all plant types. It is best to conduct thorough research on the best plants to grow on your garden wall.
Usually, garden wall plants should not take up too much space. Otherwise, they may affect the growth of other plants though having a trellis can help some plant thrive on a wall garden.
In this article, we look at some of the best plants to grow on your gardening wall.
The best plants for your garden wall
When looking for the most suitable plants to grow in your garden wall, ensure they complement your outdoor area’s aesthetics.
Choosing the best plants for a vertical garden can brighten up a dull outdoor space.
Below are some of the plant species that thrive in garden walls.
Begonias:
One of the most common plants to grow in your garden wall is begonias. These plants produce beautiful flowers that add a whole new charm to your outdoor space. Moreover, these plants exist in different sizes and shapes.
You can always choose the option that suits you best. Begonias are colorful since their flowers are white, pink, or apricot.
Hostas:
Generally, hostas thrive in shady areas with low temperatures. As a result, they make a perfect garden wall plant. Besides, they generate lavender and white flowers when temperatures are high.
Hostas can make your space more attractive and create a serene ambiance. Nevertheless, these plants become dormant during winter; but they start sprouting again in spring.
Japanese iris:
Japanese Iris is one of the most popular gardening wall plants. These plants need both light and shade to survive.
Gardening experts love this plant since it produces beautiful cascading leaves and pale blue flowers. Subsequently, the Japanese iris plant can transform your outdoor space into a first-class haven.
Hoya:
Another plant you can grow in your gardening is the Hoya. The plant grows in shady areas that experience indirect light.
This makes it a perfect option for your gardening wall. The flowers of this Australian plant also provide high longevity and exceptional aesthetics.
Orchids:
If you are looking for the perfect plant to grow on your gardening wall, consider orchids. Orchids provide breathtaking views due to their beautiful flowers and draping leaves.
Their flowers are lavender or white and thrive in areas with bright but indirect sunlight. One of the main advantages of these plants is that they need less maintenance.
Baby’s tears:
This plant thrives in minimal light and damp areas. Thus, they make a perfect garden wall plant. They have small circular leaves that are bright green. Hence, they make your outdoor living space more appealing.
Bromeliads:
Bromeliads are highly adaptable and can grow in areas with little soil. Consider growing them on your garden wall. Besides, these plants are beautiful since they generate colorful flowers.
Ferns:
Ferns are one of the most common garden wall plants. They grow well in areas with moisture and minimal sunlight.
There are different types of ferns, and each offers unique aesthetic benefits. It would be best to select the type that matches your requirements.
Ivy geranium plant:
Gardeners love planting ivy geranium plants on their garden walls.
This plant generates colorful flowers that decorate your outdoor space. However, like most plants, they need proper maintenance to grow.
You will need to prune the plant at the start of autumn to encourage more growth and flowering.
Fortunately, you can plant a broad spectrum of plant species on your garden wall.
Even so, before you start planting on your garden wall, take the time to evaluate the size and type of the wall. Doing this, will help you select the best plant types to grow on your garden wall.
How to make a garden wall
Building a garden wall is not as complicated as most people think. All you need to do is have the right equipment and follow all the building instructions.
Let’s look at the detailed steps involved in building a DIY garden wall.
Step by step process of creating a garden wall
Step one: The first thing is to select a wall. Gardening experts advise choosing a wall that often ruins your outdoor space.
It could be an empty, abandoned wall in the corner of your backyard. Remember, one of the primary objectives of a garden wall is to enhance your outdoor area.
So, select underutilized walls to create your garden. Ensure the garden is spacious to accommodate all the plants you plan to grow. Also, it should be strong enough to support the weight of your plants.
Step two: The second step is to install the frame. You can attach the frame directly to the wall. Alternatively, you can take down the wall to attach the frame.
It depends on the type of wall you have. More often than not, gardeners use a 0.75-inch PVC pipe with four joints to build the frame. Avoid using metal when making the frame due to its bulky nature. Wood is also not a good frame option since it is vulnerable to moisture rotting.
Step three: After attaching the frame to the wall, cover it using a plastic sheet. Plastic protects the fabric from moisture and any other harsh external conditions. Consider using larger PVC sheets for this.
Step four: Take your fabric and attach it to the frame. In case you are wondering, fabric, in this case, is the material that accommodates your plants. This is where your plants will obtain support and moisture.
There is no specific material you need to use as the fabric. However, the fabric should have excellent water retaining properties. Use two layers of fabric on the frame.
Ensure the fabric is spread out evenly across the frame and held securely to prevent it from falling.
Step five: It’s now time to install the irrigation system. For your plants to thrive, you need a dependable irrigation system.
Generally, this system should provide constant moisture for the plants. It is often advisable to use poly tubes for this. If you don’t know how to do this, consult a gardening expert.
Step six: The next step would be to install a fertilizer injector that constantly feeds your plants with nutrients. At this stage, connect your irrigation system with your water source.
Step seven: Afterward, choose the various plants you plan to grow on your garden wall.
Consider the space and requirements of the plants before you begin planting. Some of the plants you can grow on your garden wall include hostas and ferns.
Start your own garden wall today
Garden walls are increasingly becoming popular among most individuals, just as popular at pallet garden. Both invigorate outdoor spaces and provide excellent functionality.
Even so, garden walls do not accommodate all plant types. Some of the best plants to grow on your garden wall include ferns, bromeliads, and hostas.