How to create a living plant wall in your garden
Feeling inspired by the living plant wall trend?
Botanicals are huge both indoors and outdoors for this year – and a living plant wall will create a focal point in your garden to showcase all things green.
It’s the perfect time to design one, as young plants will establish and grow together ready for summer bloom.
Create one in your garden ready to wow your family and friends with our special guide, plus discover the best plants to work with.
How to make a living plant wall
Creating a living plant wall in your garden requires a lot of consideration.
First of all you need to decide where you’d like it to go.
Take into account the what the weight of it will be, the amount of sunlight the spot gets and any removal concerns you may have – even if you’re exceptionally green fingered, it’s likely plants will need replacing at some point.
You then need to construct a wooden frame for the living wall.
You can design this yourself, or you can purchase a ready-made option.
Walls can be freestanding, creating a living wall partition which can be a good idea if you don’t have load bearing studs to fasten the living wall to.
If you’d rather, you can also create your own wall with wood, plastic sheeting and a plant friendly fabric.
Measure and mark out the space you want to position the living wall using a pencil and tape measure.
It might also be helpful to mark the spot on the wall that you’ve found studs, so that it’s easier when you’re hanging it.
Fill your wall planters with soil and choose the plants you’d like within the living plant wall.
Again, consider the spot where the living wall is positioned before selecting plants as the amount of sunlight the area gets will impact which plants will thrive.
The best living walls focus on texture, shape, form and colour of foliage as much as flowers to keep the living wall looking fresh all year round.
Any plants should be compact, or able to take regular pruning.
If the wall gets less than half a day of sunshine in midsummer, make sure to choose shade-tolerant plants.
It’s also important to water the wall everyday in hot weather (and every other day throughout the summer months).
Finally, ensure there is proper wall support for the plants in the living plant wall.
Best plants for a living wall
When it comes to selecting plants for the project, it’s best to spend some time considering which will work best.
Not only do you need to factor in the amount of sunlight the area will get, but also access to water, the weight of them, and even bloom colours.
It’s also important to consider the texture, form and colour of both foliage and flowers within a living wall.
Here are some of the plants that generally work best.
Vining plants
Add interest to your living wall by using vines aplenty.
These give vertical interest and can be used in larger quantities to take up space.
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to flowering vines.
Some will tolerate shade while others do well in full sun – so it depends on the positioning of your wall.
English ivy, pothos and philodendron generally work well and are widely accessible.
Ferns
There are many different types of fern to choose from, many of which will thrive in the environment of an outside living wall.
Ferns grow to lush greenery so are perfect for making the space look stunning all year round – plus they’re low maintenance, just needing pruning.
They’re also happy in shady spaces, and lend themselves to vertical landscapes.
Fern plants are also size-friendly, only growing to around 20-40cm.
Succulents
Succulents are the queen of the low-maintenance plant, lending themselves perfectly to being used as part of a living wall.
They’re great for sunny spots, and will add a unique touch.
Known for their fleshy, water-storing leaves and stems, they’re well-suited for vertical gardening and arid environments.
Before selecting the succulents, consider the size of your living wall frame to decide how big they should be.
Avoid ones that grow too big, and ones that need a lot of their own space – as you’ll want to place them alongside other plants.
A good idea is to plant succulents with spreading leaves along the edges, and those that will hang along the bottom edge.
Echeveria is a good choice, and that comes in different colours and sizes and it’s best to opt for young succulents – as these are easier to plant.
Herbs
Ensure your living wall smells as good as it looks by adding herbs.
Basil and mint are great options for keeping it both functional as well as fragrant.
Basil can be used in salads and to make pesto, and the smell is truly inviting.
There are also many types of mint you can grow.
Mint releases a pleasant smell and is great for putting into tea or for use in cooking – making the living wall both practical and pretty.
Trailing plants
These will add interest to your living wall, creating beautiful cascades down the space.
Begonia and peperomia can create this look beautifully.
These plants are adaptive and humid-resistant, so will easily grow on walls and cover up larger areas.
They are ideally suited to vertical gardening as they usually grow downwards.
Trailing plants are a great investment to begin your plant purchases for your living wall.
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