First thing, we'll do a little gardening housekeeping: members of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society are reminded that the AGM and Banquet takes place Wednesday, November 26. If you haven't already purchased your banquet tickets, call Liz soon at (306) 782-2830. Hopefully you can be there-it's always a fun time, a nice way to finish off the gardening season by having a good visit and enjoying a delicious meal with your gardening friends! That's Wednesday, November 26.
All gardeners are always watching the sky, aren't we! Sometimes we watch the clouds, hoping for rain or hoping those ominous clouds pass us by. Sometimes we watch to see what weather delight is coming next, like the mixed bag of weather that we had this past week. I love watching the Weather Network, it always has interesting information about the weather and the environment, and I saw something fascinating that I want to tell you about.
There was a story about a "living wall" that was going up in Edmonton. This "living wall" is meant to not only act as a noise barrier in a busy city, but also help prevent soil erosion during very rainy spells. Prior to this, they would build concrete walls (not very pretty!) or high soil berms. But now they are trying out this "living wall" as an alternative.
What is it? The living wall begins with a core consisting of two walls placed a short distance apart, running parallel to each other. The walls are made of biodegradable materials, and the empty space between them is filled with soil and compost. Next, very straight willows are planted very close together, right up against the wall on both sides. The idea is that the willows will grow quickly and form a dense, green wall, while the inner wall core will help to provide a sound barrier. If someone wanted to build such a wall purely for privacy, they would use the willow only.
Here is how the company explains on their web-site what they hope to achieve: "The vegetation used in The Living Wall, willow shrubs natural to Canada and the US, has the ability to grow rapidly and thus provides an almost instant landscape. The construction is carefully planned to ensure the controlled growth of roots and shoots. As the vegetation spreads over its biodegradable wooden framework, it matures into an integrated unit that is able to withstand harsh winters and hot summers; maintaining its aesthetic appeal in all seasons. The Living Wall naturalizes urban and rural environments while providing superior sound absorption and a substantial privacy structure. It is an organic manufacture that has enormous environmental benefits including: photosynthesis, pollution filtration, and soil stabilization." Isn't that an amazing concept? I thought it was a great idea, one that is both practical and beautiful. If you would like to read more about it, check out www.thelivingwall.net.
It made me realize how blessed we are to have so many trees in our fair city, and also the beautiful plantings in city flowerbeds during the summer. We're not surrounded by the "concrete jungle" with no greenery. But the living wall idea is a very good one, not only for large cities, but even here, on a smaller scale. For folks who are building homes in new developments and just beginning their new yards, the living wall idea might be something to explore. With winter just ahead, that will give you a chance to do some landscaping homework!
Gardeners, yard work is done for this year and now we have earned a well-deserved rest! Have a great week!
