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spired palette for landscape architects to harness and cultivate the joyful power of nature to best serve their clients. As living walls are becoming "de rigueur" as the environmen- tally forward plantings that every green-conscious business desires to visually showcase its green initiatives, shoddy systems with poor long-term performance are quickly flooding the market. Design- ing, building and installing beautiful yet functional and environ- mentally beneficial green walls takes experience and practice. Living plants require water, nutrients and light to survive. High-quality commercial vertical gardens come complete with their own "life support" system, which is comprised of a support- ing structure to hold the plants vertically, a growth medium to en- sure plant longevity, an irrigation/fertilization system to deliver the correct amount of water and nutrients, and a drainage system to properly dispose of or re-circulate the spent water. Proper se- lection and design of a system for a particular locale necessitates plumbing and electrical considerations. Understanding the light- ing needs required for the selected plants is also crucial for sus- tainability. There may be countless reasons why vertical gardens are an important addition to any commercial property. The primary ben- efits of living walls are as follows: * Green walls roll out welcome wagon— You can't help but be awed by the beauty of a living wall. Whether a green wall is showcased in an interior setting such as in a hospital, hotel or commercial lobby, or in full glory on the outside façade of a building, they make environments look more attractive and welcoming. Syed Hasan, general manager for Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakefront, who un- veiled Chicago's largest indoor green wall in his hotel's sky lobby in June 2011, be- lieves that the new green wall rolls out a green welcome wagon to all guests and vis- itors. "Not only is our green wall beautiful to behold, but it actively improves the lifestyle of people in urban environments, as the average person spends a majority of their time indoors," said Hasan. "Our green wall also assists in reducing noise levels, as plants absorb sound and improve energy efficiency by moderating indoor temperatures and humidity levels." * Breath of fresh air— Vertical gardens provide a net posi- to go. In many buildings there is a need to channel pedestrian traffic toward landmarks including check-in desks, escalators and common passageways. This is particularly important in premises with large, open areas such as those found in airports, hospitals, universities and other large commercial spaces. Living walls pro- vide natural divides and reference points that make any space come alive with vitality. * There are no ugly buildings, only lazy ones — Many buildings have features that are best kept covered, such as harsh structural elements, service areas and storage facilities. Vertical gar- dens — with their wide range of size, shape, habit and leaf form — can provide an elegant solution that is both attractive and func- tional. If properly designed and implemented, a green wall may positively affect securing certain LEED credits. * Striking a pose — Interior space planning is a fashion- driven business, and nothing "strikes a pose" more handsomely than an artful living wall. Interior living walls bring nature in- doors, which is especially important in urban areas where the av- erage person spends more time inside commercial or residential buildings than outside with nature. People are naturally attracted to plants, and gravitate toward living walls where the sensory ex- perience is captivating. Where else, other than the tropical plant houses of botanical gardens, will you see the variety of exotic and unusual plant species that can be found in some vertical gardens? Your selection of featured green wall plants should be based upon microclimate conditions, plant growth habits, and the availability of light. An exte- rior north-facing wall requires an entirely different plant palette than a south- or west-facing wall. The East Conservatory Plaza at Longwood Gardens, Kennett tive impact to the environment over their life span. Foliage plants of indoor vertical gardens significantly improve indoor air quality by moderating temperature and humidity levels, and filtering the air to remove harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are "chemicals" that have significant vapor pressures that can be dangerous to human health and have adverse effects on the envi- ronment. The EPA has found concentrations of VOCs in indoor air that is commonly two to five times greater than what is found in outdoor air. Sources of anthropogenic (manmade) VOCs in- clude new furnishings, wall and floor coverings, and office equip- ment. In the span of a year, a 50-square-foot vertical garden can consume as much CO2 as a 14-foot-high tree with as much as one pound of dust removed from the air per square foot. * Sign post value of living wall — Living walls can provide a living barrier that gently guides people to where you want them www.landscapeirrigation.com Square, Pa., features a terraced lawn, lush new plantings and the largest indoor green wall in North America. This colossal vertical garden features a panel wall system across a green wall surface area of 3,590 square feet, which includes more than 25 species of plants. "The East Conservatory Plaza embraces innovative land- scape design, which captures the very essence of Longwood Gar- dens," said Longwood Gardens Director Paul Redman. "The size and beauty of the green wall amazes and delights our guests as well as advances our continuing commitment to sound environ- mental practices." If you have the green-light to move forward on a living wall, keep in mind the following factors, which are crucial to the gar- den's longevity and success: * Location, location, location— The location of a living wall is significant; not only from a visual standpoint, but from a mechanical point of view. Is the desired location accessible to plumbing and electrical? What is the infrastructure of the support- ing wall — is the green wall framing attaching to concrete, metal or marble? With the right infrastructure in place, nearly any loca- Landscape and Irrigation 13