Plants spread positivity and freshness. People cherish the happiness found in smelling fresh flowers or watching them bloom. However, not many get to keep plants in their houses, especially in a metro city like Mumbai where space is a big constraint. A simple way out of this problem is the concept of indoor vertical gardening.

Vertical gardening means exactly what its name implies- gardening on a vertical surface. One can use bamboo sticks, shelving systems or scaffolding techniques (use of wooden planks) to make an indoor plant wall.

However, the popular conception is that vertical gardening is a very challenging task. Yes, it's not as easy as planting a sapling, but it is not rocket science either! A DIY vertical garden wall, in fact, easy to make. Besides, there are gardening services and horticulture professionals who provide assistance.

Building a vertical garden at home involves two important considerations- the area where one wants to execute the garden, and the way of watering the plants.

The following factors can help one finalise his vertical garden design:

• It is preferable to choose a wall that gets natural light - it could be an extensive boundary wall or a small balcony wall.
• The location of the wall will determine what plants one can grow. For instance, indoor plant walls are suitable for plants that grow in shade and outdoor walls for plants that need natural light.
• If the wall is very tall, one will need to enable a drip irrigation system. For a smaller wall, one can use a hose or a spray gun. Whatever you choose, make sure it has provisions for drainage of excess water.
• In case of bigger walls, it's a good idea to put fertilizers in the tank attached to the drip irrigation pipe. Alternatively, one can buy fertilizer cakes and put them manually in each plant. Frequent fertilization is not required in a soil-less medium.

The results of vertical gardening are very beneficial. Green walls help clear the air of pollutants while removing excess carbon dioxide. They create an atmosphere of positivity and speed up the recovery time for patients of biophilia. These walls also help in insulation.

Moreover, one can harvest plants while standing upright as opposed to kneeling or squatting on the ground, making the activity less strenuous.