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The green wall system used was the
Vicinity Modular system which has
honeycomb pockets and strong porous
bags with adjustable strings to hold the
plants. The latter are easily removed
when necessary. The frame was
installed by DesignNature while Tania
planted up and placed the bags. The
soil mix, comprising plenty of compost,
topsoil and vermicast (earthworm spaces initially highlight the diverse Crassula) with its tiny white flowers.
castings), is lightweight and drains shapes of the plants which may Curio rowleyanus (string of Pearls)
well. As the wall is too sheltered for eventually grow into them. makes a wonderful showing, along
adequate rainfall, a drip irrigation with the pink and white flowered
system was installed. This has to be some other plants on this diverse Delosperma sp. Haemanthus albiflos
adjusted seasonally to ensure adequate and picturesque living wall are (White Paintbrush) is another shade-
irrigation. Liquid organic fertiliser Streptocarpus species, the small spotted loving bulbous species appropriate
is provided through fertigation. Drimiopsis maculata, Plectranthus for this sheltered living wall.
madagascariensis with its white-edged
SuiTABLE PLAnTS FoR leaves, the small yellow-flowered Tania advises that plants should be
VERTiCAL gARDEnS Ifafa Lily, Cyrtanthus pondoensis, bought small and allowed to grow
Tania emulates natural habitats and Carissa bispinosa (Num-num) into spaces. The Vicinity bag holds 3L,
in her designs and the plants are favoured by fruit-eating birds. but 2L plants are suggested to start.
a cleverly arranged mix of shade-
loving species, giving the overall feel several Crassula species can be Article courtesy of Random Harvest Nursery
of a rocky grassland but focusing singled out: C. expansa (Fragile For the full blog, visit: www.randomharvest.co.za/
on herbaceous and bulbous plants, Crassula), C. multicava (Fairy en-us/News-Blog/Random-Harvest-News-Blog/
entryid/5252/living-green-wall-vertical-garden-for-
along with ferns. A grass species she Crassula) and C. spathulata (Creeping biodiversity
knew could tolerate regular drip
irrigation is Andropogon eucomis, the
lovely glittering snowflake grass.

Insects seen on or expected to be
attracted to this suburban green wall
with its unusual choice of largely
locally indigenous species are solitary
bees, wasps, moths, hawkmoths,
Brown-veined Whites (butterflies) and
honeybees, amongst many others.
Bees are particularly attracted to
flowers with ultra-violet markings and
green flowers such as the Eucomis
autumnalis (Pineapple Flower) on
the wall. Painted Lady butterflies
are attracted to the Lobelia anceps
(swamp Lobelia), while Crab spiders
may find camouflage in the yellow
petals of Hypoxis hemerocallidea
(star Flower). Carpenter bees, which
are quite common in suburban
Johannesburg, favour Chlorophytum
bowkeri (Bowker’s Chlorophytum).

gaps have been left in the vertical
garden with the hope that small
birds will use these as nesting sites...
and there may possibly be visits
from rain spiders. These negative

Waterfall Issue 4 2020 31