Saturday 31 December 2011

Green Wall

I created a green wall to hide two concrete water tanks which sit directly behind the house and can be viewed from inside the house - so they needed to be disguised in some way.  I have aimed to use predominantly native NZ shade and epiphytic plants (with the occasional Australian native fern) to create a lush green wall.  The wall is located on the south side of the house so has shade for much of the day. 

This year the plants seem to have finally covered the majority of the plastic framework of the wall (I used a Maccaferri green wall product) and is looking quite effective.  I have included the plant list below, but the most successful to date have been the NZ native mint (I didn't even know there was one), and the Astelia banksii.

I managed to find a few native orchids from Oratia Native Plants and for the second year in a row have flowered, and seem to be doing well, quite a treat when they flower (see photo below).

Green Wall Plant Species being Trialled (all sourced from Oratia Native Plant Nursery)...

Freycinetia banksii, Astelia solandri, Elatostema rugosum, Metrosideros carminea, Parsonsia capsularis, Adiantum aethiopicum, Fuchsia procumbens, Anarthropteris lanceolata, Asplenium flabelifolium, Asplenium flaaccidum, Asplenium haurakiense, Asplenium polyodon, Huperzia varia, Hymenophyllum sanguiolentum, Microsorum pustulatum, Microsorum scandens, Veronica jovellanoides, Earina autumnalis, Winika cunninghamii.



View of Green Wall

NZ Native Orchid Thriving in Green Wall

Close up of Native Mint Covering Green Wall
Astelia and Mentha in Green Wall


1 comment:

  1. I love your green wall. I once had the idea of making tubes of chicken mesh to fit in the cavities of a crib wall; the tubes would be filled with orchid bark mix to grow native orchids like the Dendrobium cunninghamii you have and Earina. I'm wondering if you still have Veronica jovellanoides growing and could spare a few cuttings; I need to illustrate it for the new on-line NZ Flora, and Oratia say they're out of stock. (email: phil[at]garnock-jones[dot]com). Many thanks.

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