Things are looking up at Powell Gardens. With spring just around the corner and green thumbs itching to get growing, we hope you’ll join us this month as we tap into the creative trend of vertical gardening.
Gardening up adds height to a garden and makes plants and produce more accessible and easier to water. Being lifted off ground level also increases air flow to plants, reducing the chance of powdery mildew and other diseases. And if horizontal space is limited, vertical gardening allows for more plants in the same amount of space.
Plus, vertical gardens can add an element of fun to your space. They can dress up a drab fence line, cover a bare wall or other eyesore, create a privacy screen, or even create living walls to create a “room” in the garden.
Beginning March 15, you can see a creative new vertical gardening element on display as the popular “Living” Room exhibit returns to the conservatory. In this exhibit, all of the furnishings are literally alive with color and texture—including the furniture, rugs and wallpaper! The “Living” Room will be open daily through May 11. On May 17, the conservatory will reopen with even more vertical gardening elements to explore throughout the summer.
Visit the Vertical Gardening Discovery Station on March 15-16 to see examples of different vertical gardening techniques and pick up plans for creating your own. From succulents to strawberries, you’ll find many plants are well-suited for vertical gardening.
Here’s a little sample of what you will see in our vertical gardening display:
A framed, shallow box makes a picture-perfect piece of living art to hang on a wall. A burlap “canvas” allows for easy planting of succulents to create a colorful vertical planting. The burlap holds in soil and the rooting plants.
A balancing act of potted plants makes the Tippy-Pot planter both attractive and functional. Those with limited space can lift favorite potted plants, giving a low-growing garden, patio or deck a face lift. Runoff from watering the topmost plants is captured by the lower ones.
A succulent wreath makes a dramatic first impression on a front door or interior wall. A wire frame provides the base to holding the plants and planting medium in place. To water, remove the wreath and lay flat in one inch of water for 10 minutes. Ready for more?
More March Classes and Events
- March 15 – Watercolor Workshop: Still Life, more information
- March 22 – Growing Strawberries Class, more information
- March 29 – Spuds Unearthed: Stories, crafts and potato growing tips, more information