Plant Science climbs the walls

More than 200 potted plants comprise the Living Wall in the Plant Science Department of Cox Institute on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus.
 
This striking feature, installed in September, has many potential uses for students and faculty alike.
 
“We wanted to get people excited about plants and to attract people to the field," said Shannon Kilyanek a senior Plant Science Technician in the department. “It seems to be working.”
 
Living walls or green walls are self-sufficient vertical gardens that are attached to the exterior or interior of a building. Each row in these two portable systems houses eight four-inch pots for a total of 208 plants. The plants receive water and nutrients from within the vertical support instead of from the ground using trickle irrigation. The plants are supplied with water and nutrients once a week over a three-hour period.
 
By utilizing hundreds of different types of plants of varying colors, striking patterns and unique designs can be created. A striped pattern was incorporated into the initial design using tropical house plants, but the possibilities are endless.
 
Students will become involved with the Living Wall through various course work. The Propagation class will be growing plants for the structure while other student projects will determine the most suitable plants for the system. The Forage Class may consider filling the wall with varying crops for student identification.