Monthly Archives: December 2011

When there seems to be no room for a garden, sometimes the only way to go is up. Whether indoors or out, small space gardening offer city dwellers the opportunity to create living walls of greenery. Vertical plantings can transform balconies and patios into urban gardens, bringing a bit of the serenity of nature into the hustle and bustle of city life.

There are a number of do-it-yourself methods for creating a living wall, such as with a plastic grid or chicken wire, but by far the easiest way is with the Wally Pocket. These ingenious modular planters are crafted from recycled plastic water bottles. Shaped like pockets, they have a moisture barrier that ensures that walls don’t get wet, but are clothed in breathable soft felt that helps plants grow.

Many indoor plants can be grown in the Wally Pockets, too, although for a large living wall, a row of overhead plant lights may be needed to help them thrive. A single pocket can hold a favorite herb, grown over a kitchen window. The pockets can be arranged on an outside wall to showcase a variety of flowers. An apartment balcony can be enclosed in living walls, creating a soothing view from indoors while adding privacy.

The pockets are as easy to hang as a picture frame and can be used on just about any surface, from masonry and drywall to chain link fencing. Succulents love them, and look particularly charming growing on a vertical wall. Wally Pockets are available individually or in sets, making it easy to build vertical gardens in an almost limitless number of configurations.