If you have planters at the top with hanging plants, they will need many times the amount of water than plants in the ground. Not very eco-friendly. Will future generations be glad to inherit such a high maintenance structure?
Exactly the reason i’m asking! Haha, something like a grey water collection system could feasibly supply enough water for something like this?
You could harvest rainwater and use that for irrigation - a bit less complicated than treating grey water sufficiently to make it suitable for watering plants. You'd need a very big tank though, or a mains water back up. You'd run the risk that in a dry year with a hosepipe ban your plants would die. I think a twisted willow sculpture would be fantastic - it grows fast so probably would cost less than buying mature pleached trees. Trees generally may be better if you want the same plant all the way round. Wisteria for example will grow on the sunny side but won't like the shady side. Most climbers are going to be similarly fussy about aspect. It could be lovely, having a mixture of plants rather than just one type, from a gardeners point of view, but maybe a bit less architectural. A single plant type and form to do all aspects is most likely to be a vigorous tree.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I can imagine a SUDs scheme where the rain water off the roof is directed through the hollow columns watering the plants on the way then gets directed into reens and on to a collection pond at ground level. Overflow the pond into a underground tank to be pumped back up onto the roof like one huge water feature.
I can imagine a SUDs scheme where the rain water off the roof is directed through the hollow columns watering the plants on the way then gets directed into reens and on to a collection pond at ground level. Overflow the pond into a underground tank to be pumped back up onto the roof like one huge water feature.
Technically perfectly possible. Relatively high maintenance compared to trees just growing in the ground.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I am well aware of the legality surrounding the planting and spread of Japanese Knot Weed on public land, but, on private land, in a contained system, I can assure that it’s perfectly legal.
Not like I would actually use it! Haha, I mean seriously, I have seen first hand the damage that it can cause to walls and foundations, you can’t contain it, you can’t control it, so, this was never a serious option, I was hoping to generate interesting suggestions of plants similar, but not as aggressive, which other users have very much helped with!
I am very eager to hear any constructive suggestions you might have, or a practical alternative to anything anyone else has suggested?
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I think a twisted willow sculpture would be fantastic - it grows fast so probably would cost less than buying mature pleached trees.
Trees generally may be better if you want the same plant all the way round. Wisteria for example will grow on the sunny side but won't like the shady side. Most climbers are going to be similarly fussy about aspect. It could be lovely, having a mixture of plants rather than just one type, from a gardeners point of view, but maybe a bit less architectural. A single plant type and form to do all aspects is most likely to be a vigorous tree.
One would have hoped , that , as an architect, you'd be aware of this.
Not like I would actually use it! Haha, I mean seriously, I have seen first hand the damage that it can cause to walls and foundations, you can’t contain it, you can’t control it, so, this was never a serious option, I was hoping to generate interesting suggestions of plants similar, but not as aggressive, which other users have very much helped with!
I am very eager to hear any constructive suggestions you might have, or a practical alternative to anything anyone else has suggested?
Cheers,
Ash