1. Growing trend: green walls
Vertical plantings were in abundance in Chelsea gardens this year. Green walls offer multiple benefits for small urban spaces, including noise reduction, air purification, insulation and rainwater absorption, as well as attracting wildlife and, of course, covering unsightly walls.

Vertical gardens can be grown on frames, trellises or free-standing supports, or in attached containers.

Good plants to use in a vertical setting include ferns, sedum, ivy, Carex, Heuchera, Campanula and Bergenia.

Place plants that like drier conditions at the top and those that prefer a wetter, shady position at the bottom.

Vertical plantings appeared to emerge from ground-level beds in the Fenchurch Garden, blurring the distinction between horizontal and vertical planes. The concrete wall, a sculptural representation of tree roots, was created using a special low-energy process. below Living stripes of Pratia pedunculata were visually anchored by raised vegetable beds and ornamentals in the Children’s Society Garden.

Eco-friendly  
Drought-tolerant succulents and heuchera adorn the living towers in the Future Nature Garden, attracting wildlife.

Continuity  
In the Fenchurch Garden the vertical planting is placed to appear to grow out of the ground-level beds, blurring the distinction between the planes. The wall represents sculptural roots and was made with a technique that reduces the carbon footprint normally associated with producing concrete.

Easy alternative  
You may not want your whole wall covered in plants so here’s a fun idea from the PSI Nursery Garden, a pattern of colourful planters.

2. Greening the garden: eco balance
Gardens that work with their surroundings, respond to climate change and promote biodiversity were top of mind at Chelsea ’09.

Read instruction tags carefully. Choosing the right plant for the right place will result in healthier plants with fewer diseases and pest problems.

Plant pollen- and nectar-rich flowering species to encourage birds and insects.

Grow a diversity of plants to offer more food and shelter opportunities for local wildlife.

Catch rainwater and recycle greywater.

Mulch to retain water.

Compost green waste.

To lessen stormwater run-off, avoid large areas of impervious paving.

And as always, source locally, reclaim, re-use and recycle.top In the Hesco garden, rainwater was diverted from the roof to a pond and overflow pools planted with moisture-loving plants. above The Future Nature Garden featured towers made from organic materials, designed to provide habitats for birds and insects. The towers work in harmony with wildlife-friendly plantings.                      

3. On the surface: lawn alternatives
Water-hungry, high-maintenance lawns were passed overin favour of recycled paving materials and groundcover plants.

Alternatives to traditional grass include native violet, prostrate grevilleas, dwarf mondo, Dichondra, Ajuga, Festuca and Carex.

Or, try using herbs such as mint, thyme, pennyroyal and chamomile to create living groundcover.

If you prefer hard landscaping, consider permeable tiling solutions, which absorb and release rainwater into the soil below.

A glass terrace allowed visitors to observe the moving stream running beneath the Witan Wisdom Garden. Stylised waves and a boardwalk, both constructed from storm-felled redwood, lent structure to Thomas Hobyn’s wetland setting. Robert Myers’ design used ribbons of Leptinella squalida to break up paving and provide drainage. Raised stone planter boxes with a grassy centre led across a sea of impatiens in the Quilted Velvet Garden.

4. Patchwork: the edible garden
The trend to grow your own produce continues to build momentum. In the UK, allotments are in demand and vegetable seeds now outsell flower seeds. Home gardeners are growing produce among ornamental plants, in dedicated vegie plots and in containers.

Plant your produce in a sunny, open position that will be convenient for frequent harvesting.

You don’t need a big backyard or dedicated vegetable bed. If you’re short on space, start growing vegies and herbs in containers or window boxes.

Easy crops for vegie novices to try are potatoes, beans, carrots, sweetcorn and baby vegetables.

For best results, sow a little at a time, often. You’ll enjoy a continuing harvest throughout the growing season.

Vegetable beds in the Key Garden were proudly situated next to an outdoor dining spot, proof that a produce patch can be decorative as well as useful.

In another part of the Key Garden, tomatoes growing on a vertical wall invited easy harvesting and turned simple vegetables into a powerful design element.