One of the most common questions I get asked is whether my moss pieces are ‘alive’. Read on the find out the answer and to get a summary of the differences between moss and living walls.
A moss wall I installed in an office just outside of Edinburgh.
Are your moss walls alive?
The very quick answer to this question is no. The moss walls and art that I make are not alive - in the sense that they will not grow and do not requiring watering. However, they are 100% real. The moss and plants I use are preserved using natural and plant based materials. Thus, they retain their natural look and feel (aka. they are not dried and crispy to the touch), but do not require any of the maintenance that living plants would. It is possible to have living moss walls but the maintenance and upkeep is difficult. If you think about where moss lives naturally, it is always in very damp often dark environments. Trying to maintain that level of moisture on a vertical indoor surface is tricky and requires a huge amount of watering.
What are living walls?
Living walls are walls made using live plants (normally not moss), inserted into a system of plant pots/shelves which are attached directly to the wall. Installation of watering and filtration systems are also needed to keep the plants healthy, and their location needs to be in an area that will receive enough sunlight for them to photosynthesise (or artificial grow lights can also be used). As incredible as living walls are, their installation, upkeep and expense often rules then out as an option for small businesses and homes.
What are the benefits of a preserved moss wall?
Preserved moss walls allow for large (or small!) areas of indoor greenery without any of the maintenance requirements of living plants. They do not require water, fertiliser or light and thus can be installed anywhere - including spaces with no natural light. Because no water or soil is required they are also significantly lighter in weight so their installation is much easier and simpler (often they can just be hung on the wall as you would a painting). Moss walls also allow for much more design options than those with living plants. The moss can be designed to form graphic shapes and logos or preserved plants and branches can be incorporated to create a natural forest feel.
Can’t you get artificial moss?
Sadly the answer is yes but please don’t! I promise the look and feel of artificial moss simply does not compare to the real thing. With artificial moss you loose all the variations in colour, texture and feel that make moss so beautiful. Preserved moss has all the benefits that artificial moss has (no maintenance or upkeep, easy to install etc) but also has so much more. And even just aesthetically, real moss and plants simply look so much better!