15 vertical gardens around the world

Patrick Blank was born on June 3, 1953 in Paris. He is a botanist and creator of vertical gardens. The vertical gardens of the Blanca can be seen all over the world. He creates incredible works of living art for cities, public buildings, museums, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and private residential buildings. We bring to your attention some of his amazing masterpieces.

Halles Avignon, Provence, Cote d'Azur. (PATRICK BLANC)

Patrick Blank's comment: "Do plants really need soil? Not obligatory. The soil is just a mechanical support. Plants only need the water and minerals that are found in this soil, as well as light and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis." Pictured: Caixa Forum, Madrid. (PATRICK BLANC)

"Where there is water all year round, such as in rainforests or temperate mountain forests, plants can grow on rocks, tree trunks, and groundless slopes. In Malaysia, for example, out of 8,000 known plant species, about 2,500 grow without soil at all." Pictured: Caixa Forum, Madrid. (PATRICK BLANC)

"Even in temperate parts of the world, many plants grow on rocks, at cave entrances, or on fallen rocks. In such places, many species of barberry, spirea and dogwood grow. Their naturally curved branches suggest that they came from naturally steep biotopes, and not from flat places, such as gardens, where we usually grow them... " In the photo: Caixa Forum, Madrid. (PATRICK BLANC)

"In this way, plants can grow on an almost groundless vertical surface as long as they have access to water." Pictured: CapitaLand, Singapore. (PATRICK BLANC)

"If the roots can penetrate deep into the wall, they can easily damage it. This is what happened to the temples in Angkor." Pictured: Pont Max Juvenile, Provence. Photo before... (PATRICK BLANC)

"But this can be prevented if the plants are regularly given water. Then the roots only spread over the surface, leaving the inner walls intact." Pictured: Pont Max Juvenile, Provence. Photo after. (PATRICK BLANC)

Based on these observations and deciding to create a permanent vegetation cover on the wall without much complication, Patrick Blank came up with the idea of creating vertical gardens. Pictured: Pont Max Juvenile, Provence. (PATRICK BLANC)

The main innovation is to use the ability of roots to grow not only on the volume (soil, water, sand), but also on the surface. Without soil, the plant support system is very light, and therefore it can be placed on any wall, regardless of its size. Pictured: A hotel in Nanterre, France. (PATRICK BLANC)

Vertical gardens can also be made inside the building. Then you need artificial lighting. They can even be made in an enclosed space where natural light does not penetrate, for example, in underground parking lots. Pictured: National Theater in Taipei. (PATRICK BLANC)

The choice of plant species is made depending on the prevailing climatic conditions. Pictured: Immeuble ICF, Bordeaux. (PATRICK BLANC)

The vertical garden consists of three parts: metal frame, PVC layer and felt layer. The metal frame is hung on the wall or can stand at it. It provides air supply, serving as a heat and sound insulation system. Pictured: Immeuble ICF, Bordeaux. (PATRICK BLANC)

A 1 cm PVC layer is attached to the metal frame. This layer gives strength to the entire structure, making it waterproof. A layer of polyamide felt is attached to the PVC layer. This felt does not rot, and its increased capillarity allows you to evenly distribute water. The roots grow on this layer. Pictured: The Icon Hotel at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (PATRICK BLANC)

Plants are placed on this layer in the form of seeds, shoots, or already formed plants. The density is about 30 plants per square meter. Pictured: The Icon Hotel at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (PATRICK BLANC)

Watering is carried out from above. Tap water must be supplied with nutrients. Watering and fertilizing is done automatically. In the photo: Avlabari metro station, Tbilisi. (PATRICK BLANC)

The total weight of the vertical garden, including the plants and the metal frame – is less than 30 kg per square meter. Therefore, vertical gardens can be made on any wall without limiting the size or height. Pictured: Plaza de Espana, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. (PATRICK BLANC)

Vertical gardens allow a person to recreate a living system similar to a natural habitat. This is a way to return nature to where it was once removed by man. Thanks to botanical knowledge, you can create almost natural masterpieces, even though they are made by human hands. Pictured: Plaza de Espana, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. (PATRICK BLANC)

In cities around the world, an ordinary "bare" wall can be turned into a real shelter of vegetation. It's also a great way to add a bit of nature to a bustling city. Pictured: The Quai Branly Museum, Paris. (PATRICK BLANC)

In addition, thanks to the thermal insulation effect, vertical gardens are very efficient and help reduce energy consumption, both in winter (protecting the building from the cold) and in summer (providing a natural cooling system). Pictured: The Trio Building in Sydney. (PATRICK BLANC)

Vertical gardens are a great way to purify the air. Pictured: Business Class lounge at Sydney Airport. (PATRICK BLANC)

In addition to the leaves and their well-known ability to improve the air, the roots and all microorganisms also serve as a large surface for air purification. Pictured: Business Class lounge at Sydney Airport. (PATRICK BLANC)

On felt, the particles are taken from the air and slowly decompose and mineralize, and only then turn into fertilizers. Pictured: Toulouse, France. (PATRICK BLANC)

Thus, vertical gardens are an excellent tool for treating air and water where flat surfaces are already fully exploited by humans. Pictured: Pacha, London. (PATRICK BLANC)