Create a Living Wall
by Northern Life
INDOOR PLANTS SPRUCE UP THE HOME BY GIVING YOUR SPACE A FRESH AND LIVELY APPEAL. SO, WHY NOT TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET CRAFTY WITH A LEAFY GREEN WALL DISPLAY?
We’ve collaborated with Zosia Berkieta-Lewis from The Plant Room who is an expert in all things lush, green and innovative. Make your foliage dreams come true with this step-by-step guide on how to create a staghorn fern wall display in your living room or kitchen.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• 4 square wood boards
• hammer
• nails
• sphagnum moss
• fishing wire
• hessian fabric
• picture hooks and wire
• upholstery nails
• 4 staghorn ferns
• pencil
STEP ONE
Start off by sealing your wooden boards with wax. This is to protect the surface of the wood and to maintain an even finish.
STEP TWO
Prep the wooden boards for hanging by attaching the wire to the back of the wood.
STEP 3
Next, trace the outlineof the plant pot on the front part of the wooden boards with a pencil. The outline should be about 2.5cm wider than the circumference of your plant.
STEP 4
To secure your plants, hammer in eight nails along the pencilled outline of the wooden boards. Leave about 1cm space between each nail.
STEP 5
Start decanting the plant from its pot to prepare it for mounting.
STEP 6
Dunk the fern in water before you assemble it on the wooden board. We’ve got to keep it fresh!
STEP 7
With potting soil already at the bottom, place the staghorn fern on the wooden board within the circle of nails. Then encase wet sphagnum moss around the base of the plant while making sure it stays in the circle.
STEP 8
Use fishing wire to protect the moss by attaching it to the wood board and wrapping it around the nails. If it’s possible, you can try wrapping it diagonally across the staghorn fern leaves.
STEP 9
Keep your moss and soil from spilling out of the frame with the help of hessian fabric. Next, cut the hessian fabric to fit the size of the plant and wrap it around the soil. Fasten your fabric in place with the help of upholstery nails. Repeat the steps with the rest of the staghorn ferns and wooden boards. You’re almost done!
STEP 10
And finally, nail the boards into position on your wall. You will need about two nails to secure each wooden board to the wall. It’s up to you how you want to arrange the boards – what’s great about this display is that you can put your own spin to it.
Northern Life July/August 2022
