Those Murs Végétaux

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? For over fifteen years, gardener extraordinaire Patrick Blanc has been artistically planting and pruning walls and walls of gardens in almost every continent on the globe.

Created with equal parts creative skill and scientific knowledge, the Vertical Gardens or Murs Végétaux are soil-less vegetation growing on a lightweight construct consisting of three components: a metal frame, a layer of PVC and a layer of felt. The metal frame serves as an air layer to the structure while the PVC keeps it rigid and waterproof. The felt, on the other hand, is rot-proof and works in place of soil for holding the roots.

Blanc's Vertical Gardens provide aesthetic appeal to various interior and exterior surfaces while also aiding to decompose pollutants. The structures also aid in conserving energy by providing insulation to buildings in the winter, and keeping them cool in the summer.

Museums, shops, hotels, banks, restaurants, parks, commercial centers, even private residences and of course, Blanc's own home, serve as living spaces for his work.

Looking out the window, our garden has never looked so lame.

Has gardening ever been this fascinating?

Vertical Gardens by Patrick Blanc, images from www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com