Design Decoded 2.04.2014

Vertical flower garden via Pinterest.

This image features a vertical garden of nasturtiums from the Chicago Botanic Garden that I find very appealing. What makes this design work?

In a word: Simplicity.

• The simple mass planting of one flower species creates a restful, yet intriguing, color-play of closely related hues reminiscent of the color field paintings of Mark Rothko.
• And they're edible! Any trailing trailing plant, but particularly annuals with a long flowering period and multi-colored blooms, would be suitable.  Think Calibrachoa, Verbena, Petunia, etc.
• The simple, bookshelf-style frame is extremely well crafted, but is designed without frills to serve as a background to the planting.
• The deep shelving permits the use of common flower pots rather than specialty inserts, as with some of the new-fangled vertical gardening systems.

The downside? This baby would be extremely heavy, especially with wet soil.

A vertical garden can be a practical space saver and a work of art. Are you ready to include one in your landscape?