A “green wall” was created in Bernardine’s Yard, near St Andrew’s Church, as part of the City Workshop 2024 urban festival.
The Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Lviv City Council, together with Lviv gardeners, held a workshop on vertical gardening and planting of the decorative Vichy grape, and organised excursions to Lviv parks.
“During the event, we planted 5 seedlings of Vichy ornamental grapes. Each of those present was able to contribute to the landscaping of the historic courtyard, for which we are very grateful. Now we will be watching the development of our plants,” says the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of Lviv City Council.
During the workshop, the organisers also talked about the types and benefits of vertical gardening, looked at examples of green walls in European countries, and dispelled myths:
Myth 1. Rats and mice will get into apartments because of vines on the walls.
However, they can climb up bare walls and ventilation shafts just as well, so their appearance is a matter of sanitation, not landscaping.
Myth 2. Thieves will use plants as supports.
But ivy, Vichy grapes, and all other plants are too weak to support a person’s weight.
Myth 3. The facade will be damaged.
The tendrils of the plants cling only to the unevenness of the structure, without penetrating the panel or plaster.
Myth 4. Plants will “climb” into satellite dishes or air conditioners and disable them.
Plants bypass air conditioners and cannot attach themselves to metal, glass and glazed surfaces.
Myth 5. Grapes can take root in balcony slabs and destroy them.
The grapes attach themselves with tendrils or suckers to already damaged surfaces and ready-made cracks, because it is more convenient for them, but they cannot make them larger.
Myth 6. My window will be overgrown and I won’t be able to see the light of day.
Climbing plants don’t cling to the glass, but if they get in the way on the slopes, you can always cut them back a little around the window.
In addition to dispelling myths, the Department of Ecology has listed a long list of advantages of green walls.
Vertical gardening also has a number of advantages:
– Plants protect buildings from overheating by absorbing moisture from the soil, and they reduce the dampness of the foundation near the house;
– Phytowalls are indispensable in conditions where land plots are very limited in area;
– Green walls provide significant energy savings. In summer, they protect against overheating, and in winter, they reduce heat loss and prevent cold air from entering the building;
– Phytowalls also reduce noise levels, trap dust and gas emissions, saturate the surrounding space with oxygen, and create a sense of comfort, both physical and psychological.
According to employees of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Lviv City Council, green walls are not widespread in Ukraine, as green walls are not regulated by the Rules for the Maintenance of Green Areas in Settlements. Therefore, it is the residents themselves who should initiate the creation of green walls, not the utility companies. Common ivy, decorative maiden grapes or Vichy grapes, flowering campsis vine, wisteria, and petiole hydrangea can be used.
In addition to the plantings, the 2024 City Workshop included tours of Lviv’s parks: “Sand Lakes, Pohulyanka, Iron Water, and Zamarstynivka Park.
“Indeed, the tours were a great success everywhere, a lot of people came to the parks. Even people from other parts of the city came, they were interested in everything and were delighted with the tours.
Parks are places of recreation where you can relax, recuperate and reboot. It is noticeable that now, in wartime, more people have started going to parks. I think that due to the constant anxiety and stress, people have started to pay more attention and take more interest in nature. Therefore, we are also interested in developing parks for the needs of visitors,” said Oksana Lutsko, Deputy Head of the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources at Lviv City Council.