Side gig Convert an outdoor side passage into a potted garden room

2 build a wall that says ‘wow!’ Large commercial installations such as this effort in a multi-level car park bring multiple benefits, like removing air pollutants, cancelling noise and so ening up the harsh steel and concrete structure.

3 make fronds your new best friends Boston ferns are one of the best plants for cleaning the air – you can hang a bunch of them on a wall, then appreciate their health benefits and the way they create a fat cascade of fronds. Vertical gardens are converting concrete jungles into miniature green jungles in our cities. They drape commercial buildings and apartment blocks, helping to remove pollutants from the air and creating a happier, more dynamic environment for workers and residents. You can borrow ideas from huge urban installations by Junglefy (junglefy.com.au), do a bit of downsizing and have your own green wall that will bring you the same benefits. Some you can even eat!

4 benefits linger with long green fingers Increasing the amount of living greenery that we have within our cities helps ease the build-up of heat that’ s produced by their steel, concrete and glass structures and also works to absorb carbon emissions. And having greenery galore around your own garden also helps!

5 make way for saladdays With a bespoke wall of edibles you can combine lots of leafy greens for your summer salads with herbs and small summer fruits like strawberries. These plants all have the same needs – plenty of sun and regular watering. They also all lie within easy reach to pick. Dig in and enjoy!

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BIG vs SMALL

Many commercial green walls have a limited plant pale e, for several reasons. One is that care for the plants is made so much simpler as the watering, nutrient and aspect needs are all the same. The visual impact is also greater than when there is a giant, chaotic mosaic of colour. The smaller you go, the more variety of plants you can introduce – the work involved is much less and you can more appreciate the colour variations.

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1room tostretchout Call it a gallery room – long, narrow and intimate but still perfectly functional as a living area and garden combined that can give you a place to breathe and be protected from the elements.

N A C U Y O E O V A T N E R T O D E E N O N E A G S S P A E D I S A T R E V N O C L Y P M I S

! M O O R R O O D T U O N A T O N I G I G s i d e

2pOts aretops A rolled bamboo fence gives texture and colour variations, so add to them by lining it with containers of varying heights and balance, and plants of different shapes and sizes. Boring becomes intriguing!

BEFORE

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DESIGN TIPS FOR POTTED GARDENS

• When pu ing multiple plants in containers, follow the thrillers, fillers and spillers rule – one tall statement plant, surrounded in the middle by a range of smaller ones and a couple of plants that cascade over the side. • Consider your plants ’ mature size when planting and choose an appropriate-sized pot. • Add dimension by going high with plants in tall pots or hanging pots. • When grouping pots, ensure all your plants have the same sun, shade and watering needs. • If you need mulch, consider inorganic materials such as glass beads or different-coloured pebbles, which have visual appeal and will last. But remember the benefit of organic mulch is it breaks down into food for your plant. you have a path. It’ s crammed in between two dull walls and its function is to take you from one place to another. It’ s ripe with potential, so why not turn it into a meander through a narrow garden, where you can stop along the way to sip a cup of coffee, or use the space for a quiet online meeting, some yoga practice or to read a book. Hard surfaces can easily be a place for a garden –you just need an eclectic and exciting range of pots and a clever choice of plants that are suitable for their sun or shade aspect. Plus, you can still get from one place to another. It’ s just prettier!

3 small is easily adaptable Mix up your plants and arrange them so you have some that are tall and give you privacy and/or room for intimacy and smaller plantings close to you that nestle around your space at eye or hand level.

4 get yourself in a flap! An elephant ears plant makes a great statement, either in your garden or in a pot. When you place one next to a window, you can see it from the inside, bringing your garden right up to your indoor rooms. It also distracts the eye from a dull wall or fence!

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PHILODENDRON

TRACTOR SEAT PLANT PEPEROMIA

CHECK HOW THE SUN MOVES OVER TIGHT SPACES AND CHOOSE PLANTS THAT SUIT THE LIGHT LEVELS

FAN PALM

5 fall for this! Put hangingpotsondisplay. Theyfreeupfloorspaceand havealovelytumblingeffect.