Have you ever wanted to bring your backyard to life with a living wall? A living wall can be made indoors or outdoors, and there are benefits to doing it either way. Outside, you’ll get easier access to sunlight. Just make sure that you pick the right plants if you’re going to be building your living wall outside, rather than inside! A very popular plant option for a living wall is a wall made up of succulents. While this is a gorgeous look, you don’t have to be confined to succulents for your own living wall. Here are a few tips to make a living wall of your own!
Build the frame
You’ll need a place for your pots to sit. The easiest way to do this, is to create and build the frame yourself. The frame should be sturdy, we suggest a form of plywood as well as corrugated plastic. It can look however you want it to. Essentially, decide how big you want it to be, and build a frame with a few sections(think cubbies) to place the plants in. You’ll need to mount this frame onto an existing wall or fence, so keep that in mind as you decide the size. This works best against sturdy walls made out of materials like concrete.
Picking your plants
Once you’ve got the frame made, staple a few layers of Tuf-felt to the side of the frame that will be facing out. Cut simple slits into the outer layer of the fabric, and then you will be ready to easily slide your plants into your frame.
What plants you choose is entirely up to you, and just depends on what kind of look you’re going for! Just make sure that the plants you choose will thrive in your climate, and you know how to care for them properly.
An easier way to get a living wall
If building a frame and hanging it is a little bit too much effort, there are easier ways to get this look!
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Set a row of small-leafed vines in pots, on top of a wall. As they grow, they will cascade down over the wall. Some great trailing plants to choose from are: rosary vine, string of pearls, and english ivy.
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Attach air plants directly to the wall, since they don’t need soil to thrive. You can use a waterproof adhesive like Tilly Tacker to get this look.
