Vertical Gardening

Discussion in 'Garden Projects and DIY' started by FloraPie, Feb 8, 2017.

  1. FloraPie

    FloraPie Gardener

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    • "M"

      "M" Total Gardener

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      Well that certainly takes Vertical Gardening to another level!!!
       
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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        Looks fantastic and a great idea. :dbgrtmb:

        At the moment it's just an artist's impression but I'd love to see it when it's done.

        I can see a problem with it if it's the way it's depicted in that it would be extremely difficulty to prune the plants and trees as they get bigger than is practical. The ones in other countries are more accessible.
         
      • FloraPie

        FloraPie Gardener

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        All flora as far as I know, grow towards that huge thermo nuclear reactor in the sky and thus floor two could prune floor one's shrubs and trees, floor three could prune floor two.. etc and so on.

        Weight would be my concern, and the heat pump technology that will be employed. Mechanical-compression cycle refrigeration systems create noise and they would need many of them or one gigantic one and either way, those buildings could hum at a hertz that would be adding to the noise pollution. Sure, you may not actually hear it over the noise in China, but it would impact none the less.

        China needs to step up and actually do something fast regarding their polluted air space and I see this as at least a foot in the right direction. And anyone without land to dig in, could employ this kind of gardening and technology on a smaller scale :snork:
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          I suppose, to some extent, the aircon can be insulated from the rest of the building but it won't actually reduce the sound pollution.

          Assuming that they are offices (the big tower is supposed to be) then the massive growth, as depicted, would cut out most of the natural light and would possibly increase the use of electricity for lighting.

          The volume of planting wouldn't allow much room to do any pruning (seems to take up most of the space on the balconies) and how do they prune the outside branches :scratch: also, trees have a natural cycle and those in the artists impression all seem to be deciduous. It would certainly make Nat King Cole's comments appropriate. :snorky:

           
        • FloraPie

          FloraPie Gardener

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          I didn't think of that one!

          Um.. perhaps a vertical flying helicopter :whistle: I think they just walk out onto the balcony and use long handled pruning shears.

          The artist went a bit overboard me thinks :biggrin:

          Here's the one in Milan with the reality of it..
          Bosco Verticale, Milan | Vertical Garden VI
           
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          • NigelJ

            NigelJ Total Gardener

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            A few years ago Paignton Zoo trialled a system for Verticrop Vertical Farming - Verticrop
            There are also indoor systems being developed that produce fish and circulate the water round a growing system producing salads, sprouts etc; then the cleaned water goes back through to the fish. Lighting comes from LED systems.
             
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            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              That's much more practical. They're just typical planted balconies :)
               
            • FloraPie

              FloraPie Gardener

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              @NigelJ Now that's the kind of thing that I just LOVE to hear about.. :biggrin: I smell humanity's future right there. I will be lost in looking up further information regarding verticrop and that indoor system now for the next week for sure. Thanks for that.

              @shiney Surely not.. I was under the impression that these buildings were built for the sustainability and specific purpose of housing and growing plants and that they're not just simple balcony structures with plant pots on them like any other. I shall investigate further :yikes:
               
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              @FloraPie I've seen pictures of some of our members' balconies :snorky: They certainly contain more plantings than shown in those Milan photos. :rolleyespink: Maybe not so much in the way of trees but definitely in total greenery (and flowers). It brings to mind the balcony of a long time member, rosa, who sadly is no longer a member (moved away). Her balcony was not only crammed with plants, vegetables and fruit but she received constant complaints from the dwellings above that they were encroaching on their air space. :hate-shocked:
               
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              • clueless1

                clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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                I'm pretty sure there's a thread somewhere called rosa's balcony, which is full of lovely photos. I remember it. It was epic.
                 
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                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  Just grabbed this picture from one of her threads (she moved in 2010 and stopped posting shortly after that. She was thinking of moving to Thailand but don't know if she made it.)

                  [​IMG]

                  You can see from this next picture that her neighbour below also had a well filled balcony.

                  [​IMG]
                   
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                  • FloraPie

                    FloraPie Gardener

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                    I can hardly contain myself :biggrin::biggrin: I'm in D.I.Y vertical gardening heaven! And am SO going to build quite a number of these.. 25+ Creative DIY Vertical Gardens For Your Home

                    [​IMG]
                    Not high tech like the Nanjing building but it'll do for now. And placed suitably, they can water each other which is half the point :fishing:
                     
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                    • NCFCcrazy

                      NCFCcrazy Super Gardener

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                      This is what I built last year, it now houses my collection of Sempervivums. Also made some hanging pots which I have just drilled holes in and hung with rope.

                      20170408_133058.jpg FB_IMG_1490437571024.jpg
                       
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                      • Sirius

                        Sirius Total Gardener

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                        I have seen this sort of thing on a smaller scale.
                        A few years ago someone at Chelsea did a vertical "green " wall.

                        Not sure how practical an entire building would be?
                         
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