Bring a bit of green to your city space

Friday, 9 March 2012 2:57 PM

While urban living is an ideal lifestyle sometimes the view of the cityscape can leave you wanting something greener.

But apartments and flats do not leave much room for a garden.

Company, Garden Beet, has designed the perfect vertical garden for those who want a patch of environment in a limited space.

The Wooly Wally Pockets are like hanging flower pots but made of a slim material.

They are made of recycled plastic bottles and are lined to prevent dripping so that they can be used indoors or out.

Hang them from a wall on a balcony and fill with your favorite seasonal plants.

Or hang in the kitchen and plant herbs so you can grow them fresh for cooking.

The range of pockets come so they can be used individually or you can hang them together to create a green wall as a feature inside the home.

Green walls have been found to benefit health as they provide fresh air inside the home and draw out carbon dioxide.

It also helps to battle indoor air toxins created by household items.

For example Formaldehyde is a toxin found in furniture, wallpaper, cardboard and facial tissues.

In low doses this can have a negative effect on your respiratory system and at the severe end of the scale it can cause cancer in the nasal cavity.

Another common group of home toxins are VOCs which are in most paints.

They give paint that potent smell and even after the paint dries these chemicals leak out into the home for up to 12 months.

Patric Blanc, a French Botonist, created the concept of a vertical garden or green wall.

Since its creation green walls have grown in popularity, especially amongst those living in the concrete jungle of a city.

But it is important to understand what you are planting and its growing needs before going ahead with your garden.

Obviously plants that grow very tall will not be suited to this type of garden.

Also if you are planning to hang it in a section of the home that does not get much sunlight you will need to choose plants that thrive in the shade.

Like all gardens the pockets require watering and nutrients.

If you want to take the concept of a garden in the middle of a city further, and have a large outdoor space such as a rooftop or balcony, try the company Urban Roof Gardens.

The team of designers from Urban Roof garden aim to make green patches in cities.

They act as lovely places to spend time, provide plants for animals to visit and catch 75 per cent of the rainwater that falls on the usually concrete outdoor space.

The team of experts deals with the garden from concept to completion including plans, structure, and preparation and then they contract out the planting and construction.

Even if this is out of your financial reach it is worth a look because the concept is very interesting.


 

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