Vertical gardens: Part 2

A vertical garden is the perfect alternative for those who are limited by space, allowing people to still enjoy horticultural pursuits in high density living.

Once you have chosen where you will create your vertical garden and installed its frame, it's time to get started on the fun part - choosing the plants!

This type of garden is compact, low growing and dense, which means it is vital that you select plants that are suited to these conditions.

However, as with other garden DIY projects, it is still important to take into account other factors such as how much sunlight the plants will receive and wind exposure.

When selecting plants for the bottom of your vertical garden you will want varieties more suited to moist conditions, as this area will receive the most water.

A selection of flowers will inject a burst of colour into your vertical garden - gauras, dianellas and santolinas are all ideal selections.

For a productive garden rather than an aesthetic one, why not try planting a range of herbs such as basil, mint, chives, marjoram, coriander, dill, and thyme.

Just like other plants, your vertical garden will require regular watering - it is suggested you do this every second day initially, extending to about once a week in summer and a couple of times a month during winter.