The adaptation of a hydroponic system in vertical gardens adapted to a Polish climate

Green areas in cities are gradually shrinking due to the civilization development. So-called ‘vertical gardens’ may become an alternative for flat areas of lawns or flower beds in densely built-up areas, providing air quality improvement, benefits for local microclimate and aesthetic value for human health and well-being. The establishment of a new construction for the vertical garden on a wall of an existing building needs a specific approach: the vertical garden construction should be stable, robust, lightweight and easy to assembly. In our work, we present the construction for vertical garden adjusted to hydroponic cultivation of ornamental herbaceous plants. The construction was established on both the southern and northern walls on a building in university in Lublin, Poland. During three consecutive years, the construction of a vertical garden, the hydroponic water-and-nutrient supplying system and the plants were monitored. The results showed that the applied construction and hydroponic system worked well and was resistant to climatic conditions throughout the year