Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Things are starting to move forward on the living wall these days! We have finished all the 'hard' hardscape (Cement/steel) and have been working on the 'medium' hardscape (mesh/capillary mat/piping) this week. Hope that things will be ready to start plugging in the plants next week (though a week of testing out the mist system/automatic controller/etc would probably be a good idea first!)

Here's a few shots of things progressing;

Last week;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...c/IMG_2148.jpg

Prepping the anchor bolts;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2747.jpg

1st layer of capillary mat up;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2756.jpg

from above;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2763.jpg

first layer of mesh going up;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2771.jpg

mesh layer up;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2775.jpg


another layer of cap mat and a little more lighting going up;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2781.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2783.jpg

My friends says it looks like a giant speaker!;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j..._2IMG_2787.jpg

Ok, hopefully we will get the garden irrigation emitters in next week it'll start looking greener/prettier!
:biggrin:

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

What a huge project! What are you going to plant on the wall? It will be a great view through the windows.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Hi JK, Yeah, it's not really a 'weekend' project! We have been at this since sometime in early January! The hardest part is going to be trying NOT to over-do it with the plants! I plan on using a lot of ferns (some pretty exotic), hoyas (for scent), neps (of course!),. a few orchids here and there and a mixture of various epiphytes I've been growing. Hopefully by December of this year you won't be seeing the black of the capillary mat anymore! I really need to put in a lot of very small things that can then root themselves firmly into place. It will take some time but I think it'll be worth it! :biggrin:

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Wow... vertical garden.. hope to see your final result soon :D
Where you install the watering system? on top of the wall?

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Hi boonleng, I've had a little 'slow-down' as this is a long holiday weekend in Thailand and the relay switches and the transformers for the pump power supplies have to be assembled in Bangkok and then shipped down to me. :sweating: I want to run the water systems for at least a few days before I start putting in/on the plants. The emitters for the wall system are on a pipe running along the top edge of the wall, wrapped in between layers of the capillary mat material. I'm thinking of changing my filtertank/water resevior to a much larger size so I don't have to worry about it pumping itself dry.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

This project is amazing.
Thanks for sharing.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Oh! Really forgotten abt this project and the picts too. Now I remember each location and placements. Thanks for reviving ths thread again.:biggrin:

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

wow:eek:
I am waiting breathless to see the results

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Well, we got a few days work in on the wall after a looooong break! I've only just started setting in the 'under-story' planting (kind of like ground covers) to let it get a bit of a head start on growing before starting to but in larger plants. I'm afraid it's going to have to go through a grow-in period before it'll look like much. I'll take some new pictures next week!
~Shawn

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Update;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_1578.jpg

Sorry, better pictures will follow soon!

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_1501.jpg

Hopefully without the glare!

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

wow it's finished!

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Well, I feel like there are still a lot of 'little things' left to do but the majority of the work is now up to Mother Nature to finish in her spare time! I really should have filled up the pond to the top for the pictures but I still need to wade around in there and it is pretty deep when full! I will try to get down there one of these nights and take photos with the lights on it.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Wow...very nice.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_1500.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_1503.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_1497.jpg

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Okay now I can see.....A LOT OF NEPENTHES!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Yep! There's something like 75 Neps and 85 Hoyas in there amongst the other greens! A lot of them were small seedlings as I really want them to 'grow in' in place so the roots anchor themselves firmly in place. The larger Neps are all (for the most part) in baskets attached to the wall

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

It would be nice if you add some paphio :smile:. If pond is deep enough, put in some nice Koi....*biggrin2*wow.....

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

wish i can turn my backyard wall into something like this...just too nice to resist seeing it:smile:

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

I suggest mounting some of the easier to grow phalaenopsis on rocks. I suggest clumping species like lueddemanniana, hieroglyphica or the multitude of Taiwanese hybrids.. :) Great job!

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Okay, I swung by to have a look today and snapped a few pictures. I have been just letting it 'grow-in' for a few months. Today we cleaned it up and in the next week will fill in the blank spots.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6886.jpg

one of my workers is so into the plants he's starting to look like one;
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6858.jpg

Not!
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6857.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6874.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6859.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6885.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6894.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...p_IMG_6896.jpg

Will try to follow up in a few weeks.
~Shawn

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Very nice Shawn, I wish I could have something like this...

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Wow..... :wub::wub::wub:
It was very nice.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Delphi, you can always hire and invite Shawn to come here and do your house :)

In one of the photos, I think I see a nep that has very very very huge and long leaves! Nice!

TTFN
Arvin

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Hi Arvin, that's a N. Miranda. It's a male and flowered not all that long ago.

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

Felt like having a part of the forest next to your home.... very nice, Shawn. :wub:

Re: Living wall progress photos (part 2)
 

:1thumbup:Feels like eager to go Koh Samui holidays and visit Shawn's house.
Haha....