Garden Q&A: What should I plant in a living/green wall?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

I have recently purchased a living wall system and want to know what I can plant in it?

ANSWER

Apart from their obvious environmental benefits, living or green walls are a fabulous way to bring colour and interest upwards in the garden. 

They introduce another dimension by creating vertical gardens. Many plants and groups of plants can be grown in living walls, including, grasses, ferns, Heuchera, Hostas, Vinca, bedding plants, herbs and even fruit and salad crops.

The main determining factor is the aspect of the wall. On a north-facing and shady wall, I would look at shade-loving ferns and maybe hostas and astilbes and if you want to grow herbs or strawberries in your living wall, then position it on a sunny aspect.

Bedding plants too will thrive on a sunny living wall and you can also grow low-growing alpine plants which can create a very soft and evergreen effect.

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