Benefits Of Vertical Garden – Also known as a bio wall, wall garden, or green wall, a vertical garden is a self-sufficient garden, which grows vertically and can exist both on the exterior or interior of a building. They usually consist of a growing medium that is encased by a strong membrane, which holds the plants in while allowing for plant growth and irrigation.
In addition to the break-taking scenery, vertical gardens have many outdoor and indoor benefits that make them an obvious choice.
Outdoor benefits of vertical garden
Applications vary in size basically depending on the desired effect, microclimate, budget and available space. Some of the outdoor benefits of vertical garden include, but not limited to:
1. Aesthetic appeal; can turn a dull and dreary house into an alluring and inviting home, and have an instant ‘wow’ effect.
2. Increased biodiversity in cities; help mitigate the loss of biodiversity because of the negative effects of urbanization.
3. Reduced noise pollution; they do not only make buildings/homes more aesthetically appealing, but they also help in absorbing sounds. The structure of green walls helps reduce the high frequency noise by absorbing and reflecting any noise that comes its’ way.
4. Building structure protection; they offer buildings protection by helping control the climate. The planting prevents dramatic temperature fluctuations, which in turn prevents the building(s) from corrosion, which results from contracting and expanding that occurs during the more extreme temperatures.
5. Reduced building maintenance; they protect the exterior finishes, and the masonry from rain and ultra violet radiation. They also increase the air tightness and seal of the windows, cladding and doors by decreasing the effects of wind pressure.
Indoor benefits of vertical garden
Indoor vertical garden applications are commonly used in retail, residential, and office buildings all around the world. The size of installation varies from small to large, basically depending on the available interior space, budget and desired effect. Some of the indoor benefits of vertical gardens include, but not limited to:
1. Stress reduction and mental health benefits; they offer instant stress relief and a calming effect by softening the surrounding environment. As a matter of fact, their presence in office buildings can lead to increased employee productivity, and overall better health since cleaner and fresher air leads to enhanced concentration, healthier employees/staff, and fewer sick days.
2. Temperature regulation; they act as natural air conditioners and help in balancing the humidity levels inside the building. They help reduce the overall amount of heat that enters buildings. This means that green walls can help save on cooling costs such air conditioning. They can also help in reducing the effects of urban heat islands, by absorbing heat.
3. Improved air quality; they acts as a natural air filter and purifies the polluted air, whilst releasing a larger amount of clean oxygen.
