Greening house facades: why we should rely on self-climbers

For some it is a dream, for others a horror: a green house facade.

Here the ivy on the building lets the viewer imagine the protective walls of a medieval monastery.

There, the concerned homeowner imagines the destructive power of the clinging roots, which enlarge any crack in the plaster so that in winter water seeps in, freezes and cracks the masonry.

For as long as humans have been constructing buildings to provide shelter and shelter, plants have been planted in close proximity to them.

There was probably already a dispute about suitable planting in prehistoric times.

A large terraced park that greened an entire palace was already counted among the seven wonders of the world in ancient times: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the ancient royal city on the Euphrates.

If they existed at all, they were not built by the legendary Empress Semiramis, but by King Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BC.

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Not horizontally but vertically

At present, the greening of the facade is attractive for many builders and homeowners who focus on ecological sustainability.

Climbing plants around the house do indeed have many advantages: they protect against heat and cold, keep out noise, filter dust, improve air quality and offer small animals a safe place to live.

Especially in densely built-up cities, such facades create additional green spaces - not in the horizontal, but in the vertical.

Those who do not rely on self-climbers such as ivy (Hedera helix) and wild wine (Parthenocissus) because they fear their alleged wall-breaking potential can choose other climbers, who, however, are dependent on aids.

These are now available in large numbers and of different quality.

Scaffolding made of durable wood or ropes made of stainless steel, which should be sufficiently stable and well anchored, have proven their worth.

Wherever there is unsealed ground in the immediate vicinity of the house, you can plant climbing plants such as clematis (Clematis) and grapevine (Vitis vinfera) or creepers such as wisteria (Wisteria) and honeysuckle (Lonicera).

The climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala) does a good job in shady places.

The wonderful climbing and rambler roses are also recommended,

A green facade not only benefits the microclimate.

It is also an architectural design element: the building looks more attractive and reflects the seasons.

But such planting is often not possible, especially in urban centers, because the necessary piece of earth is missing.

Here, facade-bound greening is perhaps an alternative.

Prestige projects that received a lot of media attention, such as the "Bosco Verticale" in Milan, whose green twin towers were designed by the architect Stefano Boeri, or the "CaixaForum" in Madrid, whose garden planted on the high wall of the house was planned by the French botanist Patrick Blanc, have encouraged others, too To make high-rise buildings disappear behind a well-kept wilderness, while at the same time nurturing the illusion that climate-friendly urban development is easy to achieve.

Precious drinking water is dispensed with

Sophisticated modular greening systems are now available for affluent clientele, even for multi-storey buildings, which ensure the appropriate distance to the masonry.

The plants grow in containers filled with plant substrate, which are usually attached to an aluminum or stainless steel construction and are watered cascades or drips via an integrated pipe system.

The plants are supplied with water and nutrients via an electronically controlled system.

In some places, precious drinking water is dispensed with and rainwater collected in cisterns is used instead.

The new trend is turning house facades into areas of vegetation.

But whether these chic vertical gardens will change the look of cities in the longer term remains to be seen.

It seems more important to promote the installation of green roofs in the densely populated areas of the metropolis, which also serve as buffer storage for rainwater and can thus relieve the sewage system in the event of heavy rain.

With all the new projects, it should not be forgotten that the traditional troughs and pots, crates and containers in which plants can be grown on the balcony and terrace are also part of the facade greening.

Your biggest advantage: This requires neither special structural precautions nor complicated electronic control systems.