How to Making of Patrick Blanc Style - A few years ago I read about Patrick Blanc and his vertical gardens or green walls. When we designed our new apartment I had the chance to include a green wall as the centerpiece for the main living space. The walls are easy to make and remarkable to see in person. I would be interested in consulting, installing, or just sharing my experience with anyone interested in one. m(at)blackcross.cc House tour on Re-Nest.com here: http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/green-tours/green-tour-matthew-and-emmas-eco-environment-084775 More Info: The greenwall is based on Patrick Blanc's design. Here's a quote from him describing his system published in Dwell Nov 2006: "10mm thick waterproof PVC slabs covered with polyamid felt, into which holes (pockets actually) are cut for plants; a small hose, punctured every 10cm by a 2mm hole, to run the length of the top of the wall; a timing device to ensure regular, light watering- like a trickle slowly wending its way down a mossy rock. The ensemble is then attached to a metal structure that stands out from a supporting wall, trapping a cushion of air, which acts as insulation." That's basically exactly what we built. The frame is a lattice work of 1" aluminum tubes. Sheets of expanded PVC (Sintra is the brand name I used) have been screwed on with rust proof screws. Then 2 layers of the moisture retention mat (synthetic felt sourced from Green Roof Solutions product number MRM14) is stapled on with rust proof (Arrow Brand "Monel") staples. There is a submersible pump on a timer that pumps water up to a tube running under the felt across the top of the wall. There is a basin at the bottom of the wall also built from expanded 3/4" PVC. We planted 3.5 inch plants in slits 5" wide separated horizontally by 2" gaps. The rows were 4" apart vertically and the plants are staggered every other row. Our greenwall add moisture to the air, cleans the air by trapping and breaking down airborne particulates, and creates oxygen. [Mehr] [Weniger] |