Green Roofs/Vertical Gardens

Patrick Blanc: Vertical Gardens Update

Blanc Garden Drew Fall 2011 Photo © Alice Joyce

Since its installation in April, the expansive Drew School vertical garden has filled out beautifully. Gracing the new Sam Cuddeback Assembly Wing with California native species, the garden merited a “Wow… wow!” from its designer, artist/botanist Patrick Blanc, the inventor of the Green Wall as we have come to know it. An exciting revelation in Patrick’s talk: The world-class botanist specializing in tropical flora has had a new plant named for him. Patrick discovered Begonia blancii in Palawan, in the Philippine Islands.

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Green Roofs/Vertical Gardens

Vertical Gardens Revisited

Athenaeum Blanc Vertical Garden detail Photo © Alice Joyce

While in London this Spring I revisited the Vertical Garden created by Patrick Blanc for the Athenaeum Hotel, Piccadilly. Last year when I photographed Blanc’s green wall the garden had been installed about one year. The growth was noticeably more lush since 12 months had passed. During Patrick’s visit to San Francisco earlier this year, to herald the planting of his Vertical Garden for the new Drew School Samuel Cuddeback Assembly Wing building .. the artist/botanist’s sketch for the project was on display.

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Green Roofs/Vertical Gardens

Patrick Blanc Vertical Garden - San Francisco's Drew School

Patrick Blanc Feb 2011 - Photo © Alice Joyce

Patrick Blanc has designed the newest San Francisco landmark: a Vertical Garden : Mur Vegetal, for The Drew School. This major green wall project in noteworthy for its use of California native plant species, The new Assembly Wing building addition to Drew School is designed by project architects: ROMA Design, to feature a Living Roof by Rana Creek.

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