[Greenbuilding] Living Walls

[Shawna Henderson]

Irreverent or no, I often encourage my clients to use vines and such as 
seasonal shading on southwest/west elevations. My favourite perennial 
for this application in cold climate regions is hops, as they grow like 
maniacs (30 ft or so -- and up to 2 ft in a week at prime growing 
season), they produce lovely shade, they die back at the end of the 
summer, and you can either use the hops for beermaking -- try the Yakima 
Fuggle Hop! If you (or your pals) are not so inclined, the hops can be 
stuffed into a traditional herbal 'sleep pillow'. Also used in tisanes 
as a calming agent. don't know about allergic reactions to beermaking or 
pillowstuffing -- use at own risk!

Cheers

Shawna Henderson
principal
Abri Sustainable Design & Consulting
Halifax, NS

Laren Corie wrote:

> I hope this doesn't sound irreverent, but it seems to me that
>a discussion on this subject should at least include a mention
>of the single, extremely popular form of living walls........vines.
>Call it "living wall lite" if you wish, but vines are very functional.
>I spent years with this:living wall on my house......no watering.
>http://www.axilar.net/~larencorie/Trek.jpg
>
>-Laren Corie-
>Natural Solar Building Design Since 1975
>www.LarenCorie.com
>
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