​Green or living walls are essentially vertical (or near vertical) structures that are covered with vegetation. Historically this has been climbing plants naturally growing over walls and buildings. Modern techniques have now been developed that encourage and support the growth of different types of plants providing a more deliberate and controlled covering.​

Patrick Blanc is arguably the founder of modern vertical gardening and is credited with capturing the public’s imagination for green walls in the mid-1990s. Whilst the green roof is steadily gaining credibility as a green infrastructure (or ‘greenfrastructure’) solution to urban environmental challenges, until recently green walls have been overlooked as an obvious solution for urban greening.

Roof space offers significant scope for greening in our cities but is dwarfed by the potential area available for urban greening on vertical walls and structures.

What are green walls?