For those who are unfamiliar with vertical gardens and think there is some secret to this new trend, rest assured, there is no secret.

Plants have been growing on vertical surfaces since algae made its entrance way back in the early days. Ever since then, New Zealand plants have been quietly evolving and growing in the most peculiar situations; volcanoes, cliffs and hot pools to name a few.

New Zealand plants have the most extraordinary adaptations and you just can’t help loving them for this bizarre and eccentric nature.

Coming from the equally bizarre and eccentric Cape floral kingdom, I have become besotted with ferns, mosses, divaricating plants, and podocarps among many others. This newly acquired passion has led me to test a large range of New Zealand native plants in Hanging Gardens vertical garden pocket system.  The result is overwhelmingly positive for the protection of our unique and wonderful biodiversity.

Starting with some 40 species I am now testing new plants whenever I find them, and now I’m running out of wall space!  Asplenium, Astelia, Carex, Coprosma, Corokia – plants beginning with letters from the start of the alphabet are just a few.

Some of the New Zealand natives are pictured in our Plant Ideas section and I hope you check that out.  The experience we have to guide our choices of New Zealand native plants for vertical gardens is simply this – if the plant of choice will grow in a container, it will grow in our unique pocket system!  But please, don’t try planting an apricot tree.