What are the requirements for living wall installation?
Living wall systems are a great addition to any outdoor space. But they are particularly suitable for small urban gardens, which lack the room for growing too many plants and flowers. In addition, if you live in a flat in London, creating a vertical garden on the balcony can do wonders for greening the exterior of your property and turning your outdoor space into a little paradise. Some requirements, however, are a must before our green wall installation service can take place.
Let’s see what they are:
- Permitted construction: Although green walls and roof gardens generally fall into the category of permissible building, it’s always a good idea to check with your local council, first. Some older houses may be unsuitable for living wall installation, due to the possible burden of the extra load that the system can cause. Hence, it’s best if a preliminary survey of the area is carried out. Also, sometimes, the approval of your neighbours is needed, so do check with them if they have any issues with your green wall construction plans.
- Water source: Your vertical greenery will require regular watering unless you’ve gone down the path of using artificial plants for the construction of your green wall. So, make sure that there is a water supply close by that can be easily connected to the irrigation system. Your living wall will benefit from being irrigated with fresh water, which has not been additionally softened.
- Room for the irrigation system: The installation of the irrigation system also requires space. How big that is will depend on the size of the green wall, of course. Although we’ll do our best to adapt to the available space, keep in mind that floor space with the following dimensions - 1200mm x 900mm - is generally required for the successful installation of an automated irrigation system.
- Drainage: Not all watering systems require a drainage outlet for the water to run off (recirculating irrigation systems, for example). But in most cases, a drainage point should be envisaged to avoid the risk of unwanted water build-up on the ground that can lead to structural property damage and even flooding issues.
- Electricity: The irrigation system needs electricity, of course, so an electrical outlet (240V) is required in close proximity to the watering installation. And if you plan to adorn your living wall with lights, those will also need an electrical supply, located not too far away. Our technicians will confirm on-site all other technical lighting requirements, as well.
Note that when it comes to the plant life of your living wall system, no pre-growing of foliage plants or flowering varieties is required.