Intern Builds Vertical Garden, Inspires Green Living
Angelica Rocha inherited her grandfather's green thumb to build her first green wall, complete with 50 fish! The minnows form a vital link in her new aquaponics vertical garden at the EcoCenter on San Francisco Bay. This Berkeley student is on a fast track to make the world a lot more green, so meet her now and say you knew her when.
Just completed in December at the EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park, the 84-pocket living wall is Angelica’s internship triumph. “Kids love it!” she says. “I think the EcoCenter is happy to house such an amazing piece of living space.”
The nutrient-rich water from the fish tank feeds the plants, creating a closed cycle system that is a perfect example of sustainable urban living ─ what the EcoCenter is all about.
Eternally curious, Angelica had experimented at home with vertical gardens. Since she was so interested in them and horticulture, "The EcoCenter project spoke to me,” she says.
Perhaps also because her grandfather and uncles were agriculture and landscaping professionals in Mexico before coming to the U.S. She dove into learning about Plants On Walls and Florafelt, too. “I was amazed at the projects. Each one is absolutely beautiful. I was so impressed, I had to learn more.”
Angelica arrived at the EcoCenter through a course, Applied Research in Sustainability, at City College of San Francisco. She now studies environmental management at UC Berkeley, after earning her bachelor’s degree last year in recreation, parks and tourism administration at San Francisco State University.
An amazing community and education center, the EcoCenter brings sustainable power, water and wastewater systems to life. It’s the first LEED Platinum - Zero Net Energy Building in San Francisco. Here you’ll discover a living roof, rainwater harvesting, constructed wetlands and much more.
Angelica helped run the popular Science Saturday programs that foster public interaction, and gave tours that required deep knowledge of San Francisco's watershed, Eco Center's wastewater treatment, biomimicry, environmental design and local wildlife.
For the aquaponics living wall, Angelica worked with Florafelt CEO Chris Bribach, who advised her at each step. Kids and adults alike had fun root-wrapping the native plants.
Assembly of the Aquaponic Vertical Garden
If you've ever built an Ikea bookcase, the idea is the same: all parts are labeled and ready to assemble.
The patented Grow Bun allows water to reach every plant, wicking moisture into the felt where the roots grow while keeping the front dry and drip-free.
“I believe vertical gardens are the best solution for greening the urban environment. They require little space and make a big impact inside and outside,” she says. “They benefit the environment and ourselves ─ improving air quality, reducing particulate level, reducing stress, increasing productivity, and more.
“The EcoCenter is right on the waterfront of San Francisco Bay, one of the most invaded watersheds in the world. I wanted to bring in marsh plants, similar to ones you'd see outside, as a talking point for how our watersheds filter themselves.”
What’s next for this intrepid intern? Big goals, of course: making her mark in green infrastructure and environmental planning, and adding more vertical gardens to the world. She also plans to complete a 20-day hike along the John Muir Trail from Yosemite to Mount Whitney.
Bouncing Back In Brooklyn
Grateful for the spent fury of Jonas, our thoughts turn to that other superstorm, Sandy – and recall a vertical garden so tough, a historic hurricane couldn’t bring it down. In fact, for renowned New York restauranteurs Laurent Kalkotour and Leslie Affre, and acclaimed landscape designer FireDean Schilling, the logical thing was to build two more.
FireDean Schilling, The Brooklyn Garden Club, Atrium DUMBO. Florafelt vertical garden.
The big reveal. FireDean Schilling, The Brooklyn Garden Club, Atrium DUMBO. Florafelt vertical garden.
October 29, 2012: what is now Atrium DUMBO had been open just six months, following a year of pressure and preparation. The restaurant lies just a few feet from a waterside park in the eclectic and happening DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) neighborhood in Brooklyn.
For the opening, FireDean designed and installed a gorgeous 16x5-foot living wall made with Florafelt. “Vertical gardens are ideal for hotels and restaurants because you need a memorable experience,” he says. “There is an undeniable energy that resonates – maybe it’s the higher level of oxygen!”
A dark moment.
When Sandy hit, more than five feet of seawater barreled through the back door. Just about everything was demolished. The owners rang up one of their line cooks and then all went to the restaurant during the hurricane, but all measures to protect it were in vain. Closed for months, no federal assistance was provided to rebuild.
Surviving Hurricane Sandy. Atrium DUMBO vertical garden, FireDean Schilling, The Brooklyn Garden Club.
Ridiculously resilient.
About the only thing that survived was FireDean’s green wall. “It was kind of an inspiration. It looked pretty good, but with a completely destroyed restaurant around it,” he says. The owners brought him back, thinking it also needed replacing, but FireDean said not necessarily.
Leslie Affre, FireDean Schilling and Chef Laurent Kalkotour. The Brooklyn Garden Club, Atrium DUMBO.
“We took out most of the plants, cleaned them up, replaced them and fixed the irrigation system. We also kept the structure.” In addition, FireDean donated toward the rebuild, helped with the cleanup and promoted fundraising efforts.
To date, FireDean has created a second wall and is busy designing a third for Leslie and Chef Laurent’s newest restaurant as well. “Green walls make complete sense with their impact and beauty. They’re practical and they work. If you make it pretty, they will come.”
FireDean Shilling. Woodland Landscapes Brooklyn. Colonie Restaurant. Florafelt vertical garden.
With 20 years of experience, FireDean is an urban landscape guru, tackling tough spaces, rooftop gardens and living walls. He’s excited about the future, too. “There’s a huge cultural shift. Young people are growing up with this. Coupled with an architectural background, we have a generation of people who will incorporate this kind of design in urban planning,” he says. “Before building, planners and architects now ask: where will the plants go?”
Fire Dean Shilling. Woodland Landscapes Brooklyn. Darrow Street Restaurant. Florafelt vertical garden.
With New York City no stranger to sub-zero temps, FireDean takes care to help clients learn what works best in their climate. “I generally choose from a spectrum of plants that adapt to low light and feel like you’re walking in New York State. Look at the High Line (a public park built on an old rail line above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side). They chose scrub oaks and stuff that already grew there. We test growth habits, whether it’s a natural cascading effect or aggressive vine. And we emphasize maintenance to always look 100 percent.”
And hurricane-proof.
He built one, and here they come.
Seth Stottlemyer's first vertical garden is a stunner! Trained in Washington, DC, apprenticed in New York, and now headquartered in Sarasota, this entrepreneur brings a little northern exposure to the sunny South.
As a rising star landscaper, Seth is big on keeping up to date ─ not surprising since he managed energy efficiency programs at Con Edison, received professional certification from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (headquartered in Toronto), and studied at the New York Botanical Garden. He apprenticed at the renowned Town and Gardens firm in New York City, rising to manage high profile residential and commercial sites.
So when this fan of living architecture saw the growth in vertical gardens, he built a 10x9-foot demo wall at his new business, Oasis Gardenscapes. He even added weathered driftwood for regional flavor and artistry.
One might think that in Florida, only tropical plants that soak up the sun all day survive – not so. “Our vertical garden is north facing and doesn’t get a lot of direct sun. In fact, there is a slight roof overhang,” says Seth. So he created a masterpiece including ferns, philodendrons, bromeliads and peperomia, which work well in lower light. Peperomia’s many varieties include silver and burgundy stems and leaves for added punch; that and its attractively mounted compact habit make it a great wall companion.
Needless to say, the living wall creates “A lot of buzz. I think this will take off big for me,” Seth says. One project gained as a result is a 9x11-foot wall for a new client’s dining terrace, which is surrounded by indirect light.
Seth grew up gardening and running the family business in Sarasota, but after years of work and education up north, he enjoys getting to know the southern plant palette again.
“Xeriscaping is taking off down here,” he says. “We’re using hardscaping like shells and rocks and drought resistant plants. There is a lot less maintenance: no need to cut, weed and fertilize all that grass.”
“We have a lot of courtyards where vertical gardens would be perfect,” he says. “I want to promote herb gardens and lettuces, which are popular here. With my experience in New York City, you have to bring your professional A game to high-end properties. I’m also excited to bring in my own artistry and flavor.”
Designing In Sync With Mother Nature
Holy bromeliad, Batman! Jeffrey Allis of Tru Vine Design creates spectacular living walls and adds real value for his clients just by looking around.
“I don’t sell just green walls −it’s an environment,” this South Florida designer and horticulturist says. Passionate about plants since age 13, he’s built much of his success by embracing the scientific principles of biomimicry. Put simply, biomimicry is an approach to finding sustainable solutions by imitating nature's own patterns and strategies. For instance, the design behind velcro actually mimics how burrs grab and hold on in nature!
Jeff sees biomimicry in action through his extensive travels through the U.S., Europe and Central and South America. It’s in these latter regions − Panama, Brazil, Nicaragua – where he finds inspiration for his Florida gardens. He observes how plants act in their natural environment and comes back with new and often surprising revelations.
“I never thought agaves would work, but I traveled to Nicaragua and saw agave sticking out of a wall. I saw it grown in nature,” he says. “The philodendron family likes to crawl up, over rock faces, so they’re a good choice. Bromeliads also do well."
“God’s got this down. Don’t be complicated, be observant.”
Jeff has built a distinguished name for himself as a trusted expert on which plants work together in a vertical garden and which don’t. Often his walls contain more than 1,000 specimens. “Lots of people build green walls that are meant to fail,” he says. “There are so many nuances: wind, sun, light, time of year. I’ve turned down projects that won’t work. Be honest. When I turn down business, I gain business.”
Jeff also calls himself a biophilic designer, biophilia meaning the instinctive bond between human beings and nature. “There’s evidence that our environment shapes our feelings and has a positive impact on us,” he says. “Plants make people feel happier, healthier. They have positive energy and affect our psychological well-being.”
With this in mind, Jeff works with each client to deliver an intensely personal experience. And that’s not all. “I want to take biophilic design to another level and get involved with a children’s hospice, creating gardens to help people heal,” he says.
Jeff thinks we’ve just begun to tap vertical gardening’s potential as a healing tool for ourselves and for the planet. “Right now, America designs green walls for decorating mostly,” he says. “In the future, green walls will be more recognized for their ability to cool spaces, bring the electric bill down, and use water wisely.”
Six Ways To Scrub Your Air
What’s better than the gift of clean air? Thanks to her unique skills in green building and regenerative design, Amanda Goldberg of Planted Design has the air quality thing down, so breathe easy. Learn more about her vertical gardens, also available for rent, and innovative ideas that combine beauty with healthier air, inside and out.
Amanda Goldberg of Planted Design works with Brandon Pruett of Living Green Design to transform an industrial building into a living facade.
Did you know? 70% of the detoxing our bodies need is supplied by breathing (perspiration provides 20%). And yet, dangerous volatile organic compounds released by carpets, copiers, and most any synthetic item in our lives rob us of clean air daily!
“People often don’t think about the VOC gases given off by fresh paint, flooring, carpet and cleaning products,” says Amanda. “More people in a room also raise carbon dioxide levels. Too much CO2 makes us sleepy and causes headaches, nausea and sickness.”
With all those hazardous compounds and carbon dioxide hanging around, Amanda creates living walls that work hard to remove ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, and other toxins from the home and workplace. Thanks to photosynthesis, plants also replace toxins with vital oxygen
Amanda’s top plant picks for healthier indoor air
1. Pothos
2. Orchids
3. Philodendron
4. Snake plant
5. Spider plant
6. Peace lily
Amanda created her first vertical garden while working for Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, helping companies such as Aveda design products for a sustainable economy. Last March, she “took a leap” and started her own business bringing walls to life. She started with an 8x4-foot mobile vertical garden for the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA, then installed it in her client's office in Palo Alto, CA.
Pothos Vertical Garden for Go Raw by Amanda Goldberg Planted Design.
Now her creativity knows no bounds. With her unique custom portable gardens, Amanda is tapping into, and ramping up, the market for living wall rentals – weddings, conferences, photo booths and more. Because these gardens need backlighting, company logos and other special touches, Amanda turns to a whole community of artisans to bring out the best in her projects. As a ceramic artist and industrial designer who created a “living desk” for her college thesis, perhaps it’s only natural. “I enjoy the collaborative spirit. It inspires and invigorates me," she says.
Partners in design: Amanda and Brandon Pruett from Living Green Design co-created this living wall in San Francisco’s Mission District, turning a sterile heat island into a thriving green oasis.
Florafelt Pro System filled with California Native Species by Amanda Goldberg and Brandon Pruett in San Francisco on 14th Street between Mission and Folsom.
Urban Renewal volunteer root-wrapping team led by Amanda Goldberg and Brandon Pruett.
Amanda says she’s happy with the ease and flexibility of Plants On Walls‘ Florafelt system. “You can put plants in, then exchange them for a different aesthetic as your style changes."
How much is enough? For a 1,800 square foot house, a NASA study recommends 15 to 18 good-sized plants that clean the air and give off oxygen.
Exploring Color and Contrast
Monet would be proud. Living Green Design is a noted San Francisco firm that, in their words, “takes a unique approach to garden design that crosses borders, styles and trends.” Their folks believe strongly that interior design, plantscapes and style should all connect to the exterior garden seamlessly. A vertical garden was an ideal way to incorporate this concept of unified indoor and outdoor living.
Davis Dalbok, founder and principal designer, and Brandon Pruett, who specializes in creating multi-dimensional vertical living walls, installed a large, 20x10-foot vertical garden at their San Francisco showroom.
They filled the Florafelt system with a vibrant textural feast of ferns, grasses, yellow oxalis and even trees − Japanese maple!
Oxalis is especially versatile when “painting” a vertical garden: besides yellow, the profuse flowers are available in pink, purple and white, and their foliage adds even more color and texture: chartreuse, purple, maroon, silver, purple-black, speckled combos and more.
Oxalis also thrives in part shade and likes well-drained, moist soil. Reliable up to zone 5, the plants can be treated as perennials in warmer climes; they’ll need overwintering inside if grown in climates like the Midwest, or they can be treated as annuals.
Davis says the garden is a hit. “When clients enter, they are so impressed by the diversity of plant material, and the sheer scale, that they almost always begin to figure out how they might incorporate something similar into their home or office. Most of the ambient natural light comes from skylights above, so this garden provides the perfect opportunity to ‘zone’ the placement of plants in the overall design, demonstrating how one can achieve a successful installation by addressing all of the particulars.”
Davis Dalbok, Brandon Pruett, Decorator Showcase 2013, Florafelt System
Plant materials for their showroom were repurposed from the 2013 Decorator Showcase in Pacific Heights San Francisco. Birds of prey was the title of this exhibition that featured grasses and conifers, maples and ferns.
All plants which are not typical to vertical gardening but were a total transformation of this enclosed space to a lush landscape of lore.
Davis Dalbok, Brandon Pruett, Decorator Showcase 2013, Florafelt System
The Living Green team continues to delight and amaze with their unique vision that delivers an experience to be remembered.
Aquaponic Vertical Vegetable Garden
Led by Kate Humble, Aquaponics UK are providing technical expertise to explore sustainable food growing techniques using aquaculture, farming fish, and hydroponics with few inputs and many, high value outputs.
Florafelt Wall Planters are employed to grow a variety of vegetables at a sustainable future farming concept greenhouse. The entire vertical garden system was supplied by Eden Green Walls for the Humble By Nature's Solar Aquaponic Greenhouse in Wye Valley, UK.
Stephen Schofield of Eden Green Walls. Humber By Nature. Solar Aquaponic Greenhouse, Florafelt System
Kate Humble and Aquaponics UK, Humble By Nature
Led by Kate Humble, Aquaponics UK are providing technical expertise to explore sustainable food growing techniques using aquaculture, farming fish, and hydroponics with few inputs and many, high value outputs. The goal is to recycle the nutrient rich water into soil-less vegetable production filtering the water in the process so it can be constantly reused.
This passive solar greenhouse is designed to house a productive, edible ecosystem which is also combined with a variety of other complementary farming techniques such as producing fish and poultry food from insects, growing mushrooms from used coffee grounds and growing poultry, fed from by-products of the system.
Stephen Schofield of Eden Green Walls. Humber By Nature. Solar Aquaponic Greenhouse, Florafelt System
Australian Grasses Vertical Garden
Fytogreen designers created a huggable vertical garden for the Glen Iris Cricket Club in Melbourne, Australia using Florafelt Vertical Garden Planters.
Featured on Green Roofs Australia this grassy masterpiece features native plants that could best survive the rugged conditions here while also looking smart with the modern architecture if flanks.
This small yet impressive vertical garden and living roof has a plant design incorporating native species only and extends the reserve parkland area onto the building. Both the roof garden and green wall are irrigated by rainfall collected from the building roof and stored in a nearby rainwater tank.
The vertical garden uses lush thick foliage for this pallet of plants making it resilient to a range of conditions while requiring minimal maintenance. Fytogreen’s botanist selected 10 different species and used 200 plants to cover the area of the northeast facing wall.
Poolside Theater Vertical Garden
Luxury Pools Magazine features a poolside theater vertical garden filled with succulents designed by Chris Bribach of Plants On Walls using the Florafelt Pro System for a Toll Brother's Jordan Ranch model home in Dublin, California.
Luxury Pools Magazine. Chris Bribach, Plants On Walls. Florafelt Pro Vertical Garden System.
Living Facade Vertical Garden
Amanda Goldberg of Planted Design worked with Brandon Pruett to create a living facade near 14th and Folsom Street in the Mission District of San Francisco using the Florafelt Pro System.
Brandon Pruett and Amanda Goldberg create a living facade for their client's industrial building near 14th and Folsom Street in San Francisco's Mission District.
This living facade is filled with drought tolerant California natives and contains thousands of plant starts.
The freshly planted vertical garden is already busrting with life and beginning to fill in.
Looking up from the street the industrial facade has been transformed into a lush countryside that offers a habitat for birds and bees.
Brandon leads a team of volunteers to wrap the plants in felt diapers. The root-wrapped plants are set aside and then inserted into the Florafelt System.
The rooftop was the perfect place to prepare the plants for the vertical garden.
Amanda of Planted Design hired Brandon Pruett of Living Green Design to map out the irrigation system that includes copper drain trays that directs runoff to landscape below.
Amanda Goldberg and Brandon Pruett worked together to create a dramatic design that includes a wide variety of color and interest highlighting California natives and drought tolerant species.
First a wire gird is assembled then the Florafelt Grow Strips are woven into it.
A scissor lift is used to place the root-wrapped plants according to the design grid.
This completed living facade is a landmark installation that will not only transform the neighborhood but soften the urban experience for all.
Chris and Gary's Vertical Garden
Chris and Gary used a 12-Pocket Florafelt Vertical Garden Planter to create an easy care succulent display for their San Francisco balcony. Succulents are great for saving water and can be hand watered weekly.
Chris and Gary in San Francisco. Florafelt 12-Pocket Vertical Garden Planter.
The design by Chris Bribach of Plants On Walls incorporated earthy tones to blend with the natural wood siding. Then incorporated a base of green on the edges to give definition. Use of trailers let it hang down wile other succulents will reach upward.
The Florafelt 12-Pocket Planter is 32 inches wide and 24 inches tall. The felt pockets are pre-stapled to a lightweight plastic board that has nylon tabs on the top corners. Simply hung from deck screws.
Succulents are a great way to learn vertical gardening if you have the right conditions. First you'll need lots of bright light and no frost conditions. Best for our more arid states and continents. Chris and Gary use a hand pumped pressure sprayer to water once a week and also rinse off the plants. Succulents like to go nearly dry between waterings. They are so easy you even place a cutting in soil and they will root and grow.
For their design each pocket receives a felt wrapped wrap grouping of plants. In this case two 4 inch potted plants are placed into each pocket. By arranging pairs or groupings a more detailed flow can be created.
Chris Bribach demonstrates how use Florafelt Root Wraps to create a succulent display.
Get more planting ideas from our Florafelt Blog or see our Facebook Page where you can like to see the latest. And share your own projects or get inspired by others.
Exotic Species Vertical Garden
Brandon Pruett of Living Green Design created a design thick with exotic species for their San Francisco Showroom using the Florafelt Pro System.
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design Showroom, San Francisco. Florafelt Pro System.
This unique water-saving vertical garden uses the urn (at the lower left) to collect and recirculate water and nutrients.
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design Showroom, San Francisco. Florafelt Pro System.
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design Showroom, San Francisco. Florafelt Pro System.
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design Showroom, San Francisco. Florafelt Pro System.
Dalai Lama Vertical Garden
Anita Bohrnerud of Green Roof Specialists created a vibrant vertical garden display for the Dalai Lama's 80th Birthday Celebration at the Bren Theater at the University of Irvine using Florafelt Recirc free-standing living wall units.
Bayan Palace Vertical Garden
Nawaf Al-Bash of Terra Garden created a spectacular living wall for the Botanical Garden at Bayan Palace in Kuwait using Florafelt Vertical Garden Planters. http://www.terragarden.net
Nawaf Al-Bash, Terra Garden, Bayan Palace Vertical Garden, Florafelt System
Nawaf Al-Bash, Terra Garden, Bayan Palace Vertical Garden, Florafelt System
Video: Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad opens Botanical Garden at Bayan Palace
Nawaf Al-Bash, Terra Garden, Bayan Palace Vertical Garden, Florafelt System
Tropical Luxury Vertical Garden
Mike and Anne McCall enjoy a cascading tropical vertical garden featured for a Toll Brothers model home in San Ramon, California. The living wall was designed and installed by Mike McCall Landscape Inc using the Florafelt Vertical Garden Planter System.
Living Wall by Mike McCall Landscape Inc for Toll Brothers Model Homes in San Ramon, California. Florafelt Vertical Garden System.
San Francisco Orchid Show 2015 Vertical Garden
San Francisco Orchid Expo 2015, Florafelt Pro System
For the Pacific Orchid Expo 2015 a Fabergé style cascade of pink orchids on a curved vertical garden welcome visitors at the entrance of the Fort Mason Hall in San Francisco where the show was held.
San Francisco Orchid Expo 2015, Florafelt Pro System
Plants were kept in their original pots for the 3-day show then sold on the final day to raise money for the San Francisco Orchid Society. Special thanks goes to Casper Curto and all the volunteers who helped to create this incredible display.
San Francisco Orchid Expo 2015, Florafelt Pro System
The Florafelt Pro System was donated by Chris Bribach, inventor of the Florafelt system.
Aquatic Paradise Vertical Garden
MAS-WAS Biotechnology created a glorious Florafelt vertical garden above a massive fish aquarium for their showroom in Barcelona, Spain.
Mas-Was Biotechnology, Barcelona, Florafelt Vertical Garden System
Mas-Was Biotechnology, Barcelona, Florafelt Vertical Garden System
Mas-Was Biotechnology, Barcelona, Florafelt Vertical Garden System
Mas-Was Biotechnology, Barcelona, Florafelt Vertical Garden System
Miami Style Vertical Garden
Jeff Allis of Tru Vine Design created an exuberant vertical garden for the Chrome Hearts cafe and boutique in Miami's bustling design district. More than a thousand tropical plants in a towering design transformed the inner courtyard into an ultra-hip tropical oasis. It features a sophisticated composition of exotic bromeliads.
Jeff Allis, Tru Vine Design, Chrome Hearts Miami, Florafelt System, photo: wwd.com
Jeff Allis, Tru Vine Design, Chrome Hearts Miami, Florafelt System, photo: wwd.com
Vertical Herb Garden for Bartenders
Brandon Pruett of Living Green Design created a bartender's herb vertical garden for Anchor Brewing Company's exclusive San Francisco rooftop cocktail tasting lounge. Working with team members Rachel Farinelli and Lindsey Graves they created a delightful mix of herbs ideal for a bartender's garnish to a glass.
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design, Anchor Brewing Company, Florafelt System
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design, Anchor Brewing Company, Florafelt System
Brandon Pruett, Living Green Design, Anchor Brewing Company, Florafelt System
VIDEO: Vertical Herb Garden for Bartenders. A mix of herbs served fresh for the perfect garnish for glass. Brandon Pruett, Rachel Farinelli and Lindsey Graves from Living Green Design created a custom vertical plant wall for Anchor Brewing Company's cocktail tasting rooftop lounge.
Jessica Alba's Eco-Friendly Vertical Garden
Jessica Alba created a super cool vertical garden with Florafelt vertical garden planters in her eco-friendly home makeover.
Jessica Alba's Eco-Friendly Vertical Garden. Florafelt System. photo: Brit.co