GB2497817A

GB2497817A - Modular living wall system

Info

Publication number: GB2497817A
Application number: GB1200327.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth William Bowell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-12-21
Filing date: 2012-01-10
Publication date: 2013-06-26
Also published as: WO2013093429A1; GB201200327D0; GB201122096D0

Abstract

A modular living wall system comprising one or more planter trays 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d each tray comprising a lid and a planter bin 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d for containing growing medium and water, the tray having a generally planar front face having one or more apertures 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d for receiving plants, the bin having a rear face adapted to be fitted, against a wall surface 3, the rear face of the bin being inclined relative to the front face of the tray such that when mounted to a wall the front face is inclined upwardly relative to the wall, the inside of the bin providing a reservoir for storing water. The or each aperture may have side walls shaped to correspond to a particular size pot and the sidewalls may be in the form of open-ended frusto-conical apertures.

Description

lmrDrovements in and relating to living walls This invention relates to what are known as living walls', being the vertical equivalent of living roofs i.e. roofs which are made up of vegetation for aesthetic reasons, for ecological reasons to provide biodiversity allowing birds and insects access to an additional source of vegetation, and also for economic reasons by improving thermal insulation.

A typical living roof or wall system is shown in US2O11/0289839, which discloses a plurality of trays, each adapted to support vegetation and soil therein, as well as irrigation lines providing water to the vegetation. Erosion control to prevent e.g. soil from being washed away is provided by internal walls within each planting tray, particularly where the trays are to be used on steeply sloping roofs or vertical walls.

The present invention is derived from the realisation that trying to adapt planting trays suitable for flat or slightly inclined roofs for use with vertical or sharply inclined roofs is fundamentally problematic and there is a need for an alternative solution specifically adapted for vertical or steeply inclined surfaces in which a different approach is taken.

According to the invention there is provided a modular living wall system comprising one or more planter trays, each tray comprising a lid for a planter bin for containing a growing medium and water, the tray having a generally planar front face having one or more apertures for receiving plants therein, the bin having a rear face adapted to be fitted, directly or indirectly, against a wall surface, the rear face of the bin being inclined relative to the front face of the tray such that when mounted to a wall the front face is inclined upwardly relative to the wall, the inside of the bin thereby providing a reservoir for storing water and plant growing medium whilst permitting plant material to grow outwardly and upwardly from the bin.

With this arrangement multiple bins may be stacked directly one on top of another in the manner of a brick wall or indirectly via e.g. wall-mounting brackets and with each bin being essentially self contained for the storage of water and growing medium, such as soil, thereby avoiding the prior art problems of soil erosion during irrigation, irrespective of the height of the wall surface against which the or each bin is placed.

Conveniently, the one or more apertures in the planter trays for receiving plants therein are shaped to receive specific sizes of plant pot or plant growing container, whether biodegradable or made of plastics material. If the latter, the bottom of the plant pot or plant container is advantageously removed prior to insertion into the aperture in the planter tray, thereby minimising stress on the plant which can thereafter continue to grow into the growing medium contained within the planter bins.

Conveniently, the planter trays may be interchangeable so that a selection of appropriately sized or shaped apertures may be chosen to suit correspondingly shaped plant pots or other types of plant container.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the apertures for receiving plants therein have sidewalls shaped to correspond to particular sizes of plant pots or other types of plant container such that plants may be simply removed therefrom and inserted into the apertures, such as open-ended frusto-conical apertures, and being held therein with the lower ends of the plant root balls being in direct contact with the growing medium within the planter bin, which may conveniently be introduced to the bin via an opening on the upper surface thereof.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 shows an arrangement of planter trays and respective planter bins according to a first embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 is a part-cut away view of a second embodiment of a planter tray according to the invention.

In Figure 1 there are shown four planter trays la, ib, ic and id mounted on respective planter bins 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d and removeably fixed to a wall surface 3 via a pair of mounting rails 4, the rails 4 permitting vertical positional adjustment of the planter bins and their respective trays from the stacked position shown to, if preferred, spaced apart positions, up or down the wall surface 3.

The rear 5 of each planter bin 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d is inclined relative to the major plane of their respective planter trays la, ib, ic and id, which therefore face outwardly and upwardly relative to the wall surface 3, enabling vegetation (not shown) to grow through the variously shaped and sized apertures 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d. Irrigation channels 7 are provided in the upper rear of the bins 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d which, because of their angular inclination relative to the wall 3, provide at their lower ends a reservoir area in each to allow water (shown in broken outline) to collect for nourishing planted vegetation as required via an irrigation system (not shown) connected to each of the irrigation channels 7 and a water supply.

In use, once the planter bins 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are mounted against the wall surface 3 in any desired position, they can each be tilled with growing medium which is generally retained therein once the planter trays la, ib, ic and id have been placed thereover in a manner as shown in the drawing. Soil retention may be further enhanced by the use of biodegradable plant pots which may conveniently be filled with vegetation remotely and then simply slotted into position through any suitable aperture 6a, 6b, 6c or 6d. This is a particularly convenient arrangement since it means that plant material and growing medium can be easily changed as desired, with the planter trays is, ib, ic, id serving to hold plants in an orientation amenable for growth i.e. pointing outwards and upwards whilst also serving to restrain any erosion of growing medium and to retain water provided via the irrigation channels 7.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which a moulded plastics planter bin 2e has an integrally formed and inclined planter tray le having a plurality of open-ended trusto-conical apertures 6e shaped and sized to receive and hold potted plants (not shown) after removal from their respective plant pots. An elongated opening 8 is provided on the upper surface of the planter bin 2e of size sufficient to allow insertion or removal ot a growing medium, such as peat. As will be apparent, when potted plants are removed from their plant pots and inserted into the apertures 6e they can be easily covered by growing medium inserted through the opening 8 with substantially no disturbance of the root ball ot the plants, which theretore allows them to be quickly established throughout the growing medium while being firmly held within the tapered confines of the apertures 6e. Although in this embodiment the planter bin 2e is formed integral with the planter tray le it will nevertheless be understood that they may instead be separate components and, similarly, it will also be understood that the size and shape of the tapered apertures 6e may vary to suit different sizes and shapes of plant pots.

This modular arrangement for growing plants up vertical walls or steep-sided roofs therefore provides relatively simple maintenance and does not require the separate restraining of plants and growing medium due to the use of vertically orientated planar trays of the type shown in LJS2O11/0289839.

Furthermore, it will be apparent that small or large areas of wall surface may be accommodated with the modular living wall system according to the invention which may therefore be suitable for add-on plant displays to existing structures including domestic house walls and garden walls, as well as for permanently or semi-permanently cladding the walls of new-build structures such as office blocks etc. Where the modular living wall system is to be used in a commercial environment, such as to clad the side of an office block, it will be apparent that differently shaped planter trays or differently coloured plants may be easily used as signage and/or to vary the pattern of or colour of the vegetation from season to season without the need to remove and replace the planter bins on each occasion, which may therefore typically be a permanent feature in which plant material and plant displays may be easily changed as desired. a

Claims

<claim-text>Ckii ms 1, A modular living waU system comprising one or more planter trays (Ia, ib, Ic, Id, ie), each tray comprising a lid for a planter bin (2a, 2h, 2c, 2d.2e) for contaming a growing methum and water, the tray having a generafly planar front face having oneS or more apertures (6a, $b, 6c, 6d, Ge) for receiving plants therein, the bin having a rear face adapted to he fitted, directly or indirectly, against a wall surface (3), the rear face of the bn being nchned relative to tUe front face of the tray such that when mounted to a wafl the front face is inclined upwardly relative to the wall, the inside of the bin thereby providing a reservoir for storing water and plant growing medium whilst permitting plant material to grow outwardly and upwardly from the bin out of the apertures in the or each tray.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the cne or more apertures in the planter trays for receiving plants therein are. shaped in receive specific sizes of plant pot or plant growing container.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A system according to Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the planter trays are interchangeable so that a selecfion of appropriately sized or shaped apertures may be chosen to suit correspondingly shaped plant pots or other types of plant container.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A system according to any preceding Claim wherein the apertures for receng plants therein have sidewalls shaped to correspond to particular sizes of plant pots or other types of plant container.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A system according to ClaIm 4 wherein the apertures are open-ended frusto-conical apertures.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A system according to any preceding Claim wherein the bin has an opening on the upper surface thereof.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A modular living wail system substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2</claim-text>