On the west side of our building is a steel structure bolted to the west wall of the building and carrying the walkways giving access to the apartments on levels 2,3 and 4.
It has a two metre high glass wall on the west side of the decking partly to provide shelter from the weather but mainly to satisfy regulations about visual intrusion into neighbouring properties.
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A fair description is that it has a stark industrial appearance. It can be enhanced to add to the enjoyment of life here and to our property values, and here's where a bit of imagination is required.
We start with a 30Mx90cm roll of 100mmx100mm mesh. ($119 at Bunnings). Take a 10M length and roll it crosswise into a cylinder about 25cm diameter and fasten securely. The 25cm diameter will allow an overlap of one 100mm square. This is a key part of our hanging garden.
The roll of mesh is sufficient for three cylinders.
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Picture this cylinder hanging vertically from a position on Level 4, down past L3 and L2 to finish above head height on L1. Now think of it it covered with assorted plants from top to bottom, growing from a point level with L2. (Checked with a plant advisor and it is very feasible and there is a good choice of plants.).
For structural and safety reasons the wire tube will be fastened at L4 to the steel structure by an engineer approved method. The tube itself will also be approved.
Advice from a plant consultant is that L2 should be the location of an embedded or attached container that will be the origin of the plants. Maintenance in general will also be from this point.
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Level 1 has 3 entry corridors branching off the main walkway. It makes sense for the vertical garden tubes to finish in a flourish of greenery on each side of these entries. So now imagine the single tube of the illustration above sextupled and we have the Hanging Gardens - Part 1
Part 2
In the area opposite the townhouses is the section of railing that opens the level 1 walkway to the sky.
Now, again you need to imagine two planters with dimensions 2400mm x 600mm and 400mm high (Cost <$1,000). Each has chain or wire connections to the Level 1 railing. There is now a framework for a choice of climbers on the chains and other plants in the planters.
