The Future of Gardening

Want a garden, but lack the square footage? Lack of space will soon be a problem of the past. You can grow a garden in smaller spaces and get the same results. A new way to plant a garden and get more out of your square footage is a vertical garden. While the concept of a vertical garden is not entirely new, it is growing in popularity. Though it is not as popular in the United States, vertical gardening is a great way to save space, garden, and reduce your carbon footprint. What is Vertical Gardening? Vertical gardening optimizes the available space and allows gardeners to grow multiple plants in the same area. By stacking planters, one on top of the other, and cutting slits into the sides of the mesh you are able to plant a 6 square foot garden on one square foot of land. Each planter has a frame and is maintained through the mesh lining. Slits are cut into the lining, which are used for planting each plant. As the planters are stacked on top of each other you gain more planting area. Once the planters are stacked, you can insert your desired plants in the previously mentioned slits. Obviously larger plants, such as trees, are not going to work as desirably in these vertical gardens, but most plants work well in these planters. The gardens are watered from the top with a drip watering like system and the water than trickles down to the bottom of the garden. Where is Vertical Gardening From? This particular form of vertical gardening is fairly new and originates from Australia. Horticulturalist, Mark Paul, developed vertical gardens to take advantage of the limited space and replicate the cliff garden effect. Mark has been at the forefront of this experiment and is working on growing a number of different plant species in a single medium. While vertical gardening of sorts has been around for a while, this is the first use of vertical gardening through use of stacked planters and drip watering systems. How is Vertical Gardening Eco-Friendly? There are the obvious ways that a garden is eco-friendly. Plants help clean the air, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and produce oxygen. Vertical gardens add to the ecological benefits of gardening. Vertical gardens take significantly less water to keep the plants alive and thriving because all the plants are stacked one on top of the other. Some vertical gardens also have catch trays to catch excess water to be recycled and reused. Though vertical gardening is still new and in the experimental phase of development it shows potential as a gardening method of the future. Vertical gardens are definitely something to watch for as it is developed and becomes a more common way to grow gardens in limited spaces or just all around. Vertical gardens also have the potential to be beautiful features and decorations, not just a garden, but add to the beauty and help create your sanctuary.