Not that long ago, when people heard the concept of vertical landscaping or vertical gardening mentioned, they automatically thought it was only used in small spaces. Times have changed, and people have learned to embrace the idea of vertical gardening in an entirely different way, while discovering how it can enhance any outdoor space and transform the overall look and feel of any outdoor living area.
It doesn’t matter whether you own or rent a home, a condominium, an apartment, a townhouse, or any other type of non-traditional living space. Vertical gardening can add functionality, visual appeal, or ambiance to an existing outdoor area, or it can offer inspiration for the creation of a new outdoor living area. It can help you figure out what type of outdoor furniture works best for your newly created living space.
Embellish a New or Existing Pergola
Many people choose to repurpose reclaimed wood. Whether you do that or opt for wood that weathers outdoor conditions better (like teak, redwood, and cedar), a pergola is an attractive way to create a cover for an outdoor entertaining space. When you want to bring color and interest to your pergola, consider planting flowering, fruiting, or leafy vines to grow up the supports and across and through the top. Cypress vine, trumpet vine, and coral honeysuckle are all known to attract hummingbirds. A pergola can define a space, giving you the feeling that you’ve added an outdoor room to your home’s actual living space.
Create Privacy with a Living Fence
If you’re concerned that an enclosed fence will make your outdoor area seem too enclosed, create a lattice fence and use it as support for plants. A living fence gives you the privacy you’d get from an ordinary fence, while creating a sense of openness and adding some texture, color, and interest to what might otherwise be a common-looking fence. If you’re concerned about maintenance with a living fence, choose water-saving plants like succulents.
A living wall can enclose a space while giving it an incredibly open feeling because the enclosure is alive. With plants like succulents that don’t need water very often, you don’t have to have a green thumb to maintain the wall because there is little work to do. Pack plants together as closely as possible and you have an instant weed barrier because there is no place for the weeds to grow. Getting plants to stay in the space may require some maneuvering, but if you choose perennials, you won’t have to worry about starting over every year.
You can plant almost anything in a vertical garden. If you have an outdoor kitchen and eat your meals outside during the warm weather, consider creating a wall of hanging gutters so you can have the fixings for incredible salads right at your fingertips. If you don’t want to plant lettuce varieties in gutters, consider planting herbs, strawberries, edible flowers, any other bush variety, or miniature vegetable plant that your family loves to eat. Having these healthy foods readily to hand will help your family eat healthier foods, and everyone will enjoy your outdoor living space so much more.
