[Greenbuilding] Living Walls

[YankeePerm at aol.com]

The distance depends upon your climate.   One option is to build a trellis 
'too close' but allow for it to be hinged at the bottom so it can be swung away 
from the building.   Another is to use annual vines.   I had a student in 
Michigan who simply leaned a trellis of commercially available lath lattice 
against the glazed portions of the south wall and ran annual vines up the trellis.   
As the need for shelter increased, the vines grew and accommodated it.   He 
used some sort of gourds, I think, because of their rampancy.   (Many of these 
produce edible fruit at some stages.)   Some of the Western Hemisphere 
squashes (which include 'pumpkins') are equally rampant.   Because the trellis leaned 
right against the building, there was a pleasant space between the wall and 
the ground where one could sit in read, have a pleasant outdoor lunch, etc.   
In warmer climates, perennial herbaceous vines such as lab-lab and passiflora 
can be used.   (Passiflora incarnata grows well up into temperate climates but 
probably isn't rampant enough for this application.)

All vines, but especially annual vines, have a high soil moisture 
requirement.   Fortunately, we have a roof that sheds water right at hand and a simple 
roof catchment and irrigation system can be devised, preferably with a roof 
flush system that diverts the first flow to a separate container.   This would 
have more nutrient, better for the vines and not suitable for potential potable 
uses.   The high moisture requirement and large leaf surface of such vines 
suggests a rapid transpiration rate, that may have cooling effects that rival (and 
add to) those of direct shade.

In arid climates, where herbaceous vines are obviously counterindicated, 
there are vining cacti that could provide some benefit to masonry and 
earth-material walls.   Walls should be well pointed (if of that type) before planting, in 
which case the vines will preserve the wall.   With loose pointing, they will 
invade the mortar and further weaken it.   Cacti are quite responsive to 
irrigation also, so with a little watering when practical, these cacti will spread 
faster than you would think (though nothing like herbaceous broadleaf vines.) 
  Many also produce useful fruit.

For Mother Earth
\


Dan Hemenway
In a message dated 10/31/06 12:04:21 PM, 9watts at gmail.com writes:


> I'm tempted to construct a basically permament trellis for supporting
> climbing roses along a south-facing wall. Is there a distance anyone would
> recommend between trellis and wall. To paint I would need several feet, of
> course. The paint currently is new, but flawed--blistering etc.
> Option (1) wait to construct trellis until wall is very well painted and
> build it closer (how close?)
> Option (2) build trellis now with enough distance to be able to comfortably
> paint.
> Option (3) ?
> Any ideas welcome.
> Reuben Deumling
> 





---------------------------------------------------------
Barking Frogs Permaculture Center
www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org

Our 11th Annual Permaculture Design Course Online begins Nov. 5, 2006. The 
protocol for our Annual Permaculture Design Course Online is at 
http://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/Protocol7_05_06.pdf


A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles also may be found at

http://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/YPCpublicationsbycategory.pdf