Living walls or green walls are the perfect addition to your internal or external space for both aesthetic, financial and health reasons. These vertical gardens are ideal if you have limited space, which doesn't allow much room for the more traditional horizontal alternative. The only pre-requisite for a living wall, either inside or out, is the space must be well lit for the plants to thrive. There are many different types of green walls you can install, from an internal herb garden to an external climbing vine trellis, depending on your tastes, environment and the level of maintenance required. So you can see how a living wall can enhance your space, we've highlighted five benefits below:

1. Living walls help to improve air quality

There are pollutants in the air, both indoors and outdoors, which are toxic for humans to breathe in, such as carbon monoxide. These can infiltrate your home through your ductwork, heating or air conditioning and end up in your lungs. As plants absorb pollutants, these successfully work as a natural filtration system, improving the air quality you breathe. If you consider that a green wall can have hundreds, if not thousands of plants, by adding one to your living space you'll improve your health as this will remove a vast amount of toxins from your environment.

2. Green walls offer protection from the elements

Did you know that installing a green wall outside your home or office can work as climate control, effectively protecting it from the elements? Living walls are able to help prevent buildings from extreme fluctuations in temperature, which result in the structure corroding from expanding and contracting. Green walls also provide natural installation, so the air in your living space stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter, as well as shielding your building from UV rays, wind and precipitation.

3. Living walls offer many health benefits

Plants have been scientifically proven to offer stress relief, reduce pollution and decrease noise levels, which makes a living wall essential for a working environment. As these eliminate toxins and distribute an energy-rich source of oxygen, plants also reduce fatigue and increase productivity. By installing an edible living wall in your home, such as a herb and vegetable garden, you can also get twice the health benefits as not only do you create a more relaxing, stress-free environment, you have access to fresh produce.

4. Vertical gardens reduce energy usage

Vertical gardens protect your building from the searing heat of the sun in the summer months, directly lowering your energy usage by requiring less air conditioning. By having a living wall in your home or business, it also helps cool the air temperature. In contrast, an outdoor living wall insulates your home in the cooler months keeping it warmer and lowering heating costs. A tip for reducing energy costs is the more plants on your vertical garden, the less you spend on energy.

5. Living walls are appealing aesthetically

Whether you choose to install a living wall in the interior or the exterior of your home or business, it will instantly enhance the aesthetic appeal and attract attention. A green wall is incredibly eye-catching, as it provides a striking contrast to your home decor, which can help to increase market value.

These are just a few of the many benefits gained from installing a living wall. For assistance with green walls and all facets of interior design contact Jarvis Interiors today. We specialise in using creative interior design to improve environments and people's lives, health and well-being using colour, sound and light therapy.