Photo: Tim Rioseco from Dry River Gardens
LEFT The right lighting can complement a vertical garden. BELOW Create a pea teepee and watch your productive garden flourish. mylands.com BOTTOM Take a pre-loved tyre, a lick of paint and a splash of colour with some flowers, and you have a unique vertical garden.
WHAT TO GROW PLANTS IN? Vertical gardens can be either individual pockets, pods, or pots; some are individual segments, others are interlocking modular systems. Tim says felt is a popular option for those who want to DIY. “It’s very accessible, inexpensive, easy to set up, and it’s lightweight,” he says. “Conversely, felt pockets do run through quite a lot of water, so more frequent watering is required.” If you choose felt, opt for a quality product to increase the longevity of the pouch. Pots, of course, are another popular option. They can be easily replaced if needed, and may be more water effective than felt pockets. They do vary in quality, and Tim’s advice is to avoid pots that are too small. “With some of the smaller kits with pots, I’m always asked by people why their plants aren’t looking very happy,” he says. “You need a pot space of at least 100ml square so there’s enough space for the roots to take hold.”
THE ROOT OF THE MATTER When planting into a vertical garden, the planting material needs to be lightweight and free-draining. “Plants will do better in a light mix substrate of vermiculite, perlite and potting
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