GB2303529A

GB2303529A - Vegetation carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2303529A
Application number: GB9615317A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lothar Bestmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-07-21
Filing date: 1996-07-22
Publication date: 1997-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-22
Also published as: DE19526604A1; GB2303529B; GB9615317D0; JPH0931988A

Description

1 C488.00/B Title: Vegetation Carrier 2303529 The invention presents a

technique for manufacture of vegetation carriers for landscaping and reinforcement of slopes etc., particularly in bank areas of lakes and rivers and includes vegetation carriers manufactured to said technique.

It is a well-known technique to arrange so-called fascines aimed at reinforcement of shore lines of lakes and rivers. Generally, these fascines consist of bundles of twigs held together by means of wire. In more recent times, such fascines have also been made of decomposition resistant fibres being held together by means of fabrics. As a rule, however, all such conventional fascines act as foreign matter in nature, since they do not support the growth of vegetation, either entirely or at least over a long period. It is, however, desired that reinforced bank areas are adapted to the surrounding environment as soon as possible so that the reinforced area will be more acceptable visually and will cause minimal disruption to wildlife (both plant and animal).

This invention is intended to solve the problem of reinforcing slopes or bank areas whilst optimising their appearance and minimising the impact on the surrounding environment.

The invention provides vegetation carriers made of natural fibres such as coir, abaca, rami, or synthetic fibres such as PE, PA, PP, PES and others, fabrics, tissues or similar materials, optionally provided with armouring, and provided with slots or holes in their tops intended to receive the plants. Preferably, prior to use the vegetation carriers are kept in wet framqs from where they are removed after culturing of the plants. If necessary, it is possible to split the vegetation into smaller carrier elements with plants convenient for specific purposes and to use them in such condition. It has proved to be useful to keep several vegetation carries in a common wet frame separated from each other by means of separating plates, which prevent the root systems of plants in adjacent carriers or carrier elements from becoming entangled.

2 Vegetation carriers of greater length manufactured to this technique can have advantageous lengths of apProximately 1 to 5 metres, a width ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 metres and a height ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 metres but are not restricted to these sizes. It has proved to be of advantage to provide the vegetation carriers with a jacket which may be designed and manufactured completely or partly as microfilter. Depending on definite use the vegetation carriers of greater length can be split into carrier elements with plants of smaller size and in such condition brought to the place where they shall be used.

The enclosed drawings are intended to explain the invention in more detail. The drawings present:

Figure 1 various cross sections of vegetation carriers; Figure 2 a vegetation carrier in perspective representation; Figure 3 several vegetation carriers placed in one wet frame; Figure 4 a vegetation carrier placed on a slope; Figure 5 another way of placing a vegetation carrier; Figure 6 several vegetation carriers one behind the other on a slope; Figure 7 a vegetation carrier on the bed of a lake or river; Figure 8 fixation of a vegetation carrier by means of fabric and stake; and Figure 9 vegetation carriers arranged between parts of a wall.

The cross sections through various vegetation carriers 10 with plants 14 presented in Figure 1 show:

a) a vegetation carrier which has been provided with a jacket 18 in order to improve its rigidity and stability. In addition to jacket 18, there is provided a microfilter 19 in the embodiment showp in 1b). Figure 1c) shows a hole 12 in which organic or synthetic material has been arranged for culturing of plants which require more fertile conditions for growth. The vegetation carrier 10 with plants 14 shown in Figure 2 in perspective representation illustrates an arrangement of slots 11 in the upper face of the vegetation carrier intended for receiving the plants 14.

3 A wet frame as shown in Figure 3 may be used for culturing plants 14 in the vegetation carriers 10 with a foil held in a solid screen. It is possible to keep, for example, several vegetation carriers 10 side by side in the wet frame, whilst separating the individual vegetation carriers 10 from each other by means of separating plates 17 in order to prevent the roots of the plants 14 from growing from one carrier to the adjacent carrier.

The use of vegetation carriers or carrier elements is accordance with the invention is shown in Figures 4 to 9. Figures 4 and 5 show the arrangement of vegetation carriers 10 or carrier elements 15 on slopes to reinforce them. Arrangement of a majority of vegetation carriers 10 one behind the other in case of long slopes is possible, too, as shown in Figure 6. Figure 7 shows arrangement of a vegetation carrier 10 on the bed of a lake or river. One can see here that the vegetation carrier 10 is secured in its position by stones. On slopes the vegetation carriers 10 can in addition be secured by means of nets 21 and/or stakes 20 as shown in Figure 8.

The vegetation carriers 10 or carrier elements 15, 16 according to this invention can also be used for landscaping of walls as shown in Figure 9 with the vegetation carriers or carrier elements being arranged between individual wall parts.

4

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing vegetation carriers intended for landscaping and reinforcement of slopes etc., particularly in bank areas of lakes and rivers, characterised in that vegetation carriers (10) comprising natural fibres, synthetic fibres, fabrics, tissues or similar material, optionally. reinforced with armouring, are provided with slots (11) or holes (12) at their tops intended to receive the plants (14) and are supported in wet frames (13) from which they are taken out after plants (14) have been cultured split into large carrier elements (15, 16) with plants (14) suitable for the relevant purpose.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that a majority of vegetation carriers (10) are kept in a common wet frame (13) side by side and separated from each other by means of separating plates (17).

3. Vegetation carriers manufactured by application of the method of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the vegetation carriers (10) have a length of 1 to 5 metres, a width of 0.2 to 0.5 metres and a height of 0.2 to 1.5 metres.

4. A vegetation carrier substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. Vegetation carriers according to claim 3, characterised in that the vegetation carriers (10) are provided with a jacket (18).

5. Vegetation carriers according to claim 4, characterised in that the jacket is wholly or partly comprised of a microfilter (19).

6. Vegetation carriers according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the vegetation carriers (10) are sWit into smaller carrier elements (15, 16) with plants (14).

7. A vegetation carrier substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 - A method of landscaping an area or reinforcing a bank or slope with a vegetation carrier, characterised in that the vegetation carriers comprise natural fibres, synthetic fibres, fabrics, tissues or similar material, optionally reinforced with armouring, are provided with slots (11) or holes (12) at their tops intended to receive the plants (14) and are supported in wet frames (13) from which they are taken out after plants (14) have been cultured split into large carrier elements (15, 16) with plants (14) suitable for the relevant purpose.

A method of growing vegetation in a vegetation carrier, wherein a plurality of vegetation carriers comprising natural fibres, synthetic fibres, fabrics, tissues or similar material, optionally reinforced with armouring, are provided with slots (11) or holes (12) at their tops intended to receive the plants (14) and are supported in wet frames (13), the vegetation carriers being positioned adjacently but separated from each other by separating plates which prevent the root systems of plants in adjacent carriers from becoming entangled.

3. A vegetation carrier (10) comprising natural fibres, synthetic fibres, fabrics, tissues or similar material, optionally reinforced with armouring, provided with slots (11) or holes (12) for receiving plants, characterised in that the vegetation carrier (10) has a length of 1 to 5 metres, a width of 0.2 to 0.5 metres and a height of 0.2 to 1.5 metres.