Today, Bill English claimed that the “greenies” were the cause of the housing problem in Auckland. Well I am one of those “greenies” and I am seriously concerned about the future of the environment and our children’s health. As a result – I am doing something about it.

Hanging Gardens is a “greenie” company that is devoted to greening up urban environments. We recognise that urban intensification is an essential element in catering for future growth. We are constantly innovating to find new ways to cost-effectively add greenery in urban development’s to make them appealing and healthy.

I don’t see how this is the cause of the housing problem in Auckland. Perhaps if the government embraced some of the newer technologies that improve the environment, and supported and encouraged these, then we “greenies” would not need to make such a noise.

The rise of vertical gardens is one of those trends that seems to be unstoppable. The idea was brought to the attention of the French when Patrick Blanc, a French botanist born June 3, 1953 was working at the French National Centre for Scientific Research where he specializes in plants from tropical forests. He is the modern day innovator and ambassador of the hydroponic green walls.

Although Blanc did not invent the vertical garden, he is responsible for modernizing and popularizing the hydroponic vertical garden. Since the early days, a raft of hydroponic systems have evolved, but now we are moving into a new and more affordable type of solution, natural and soil based, light weight vertical gardens.

So the trend is going up the wall and we believe that no matter what size building you have, you can still bring a little nature to your space.

Leigh Nicholson