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One man's garden outside his Potong Pasir HDB flat won praise from netizens and neighbours for its neatness and being "therapeutic".
Impressive organisation
In a post on Facebook group "Foliage Fanatics Singapore", user Benjamin Ng, 56, showcased his vertical garden built on the outer walls of his Potong Pasir HDB flat.
"I often hear people say there's no more space for additional plants. I always say - Create space!!!" wrote Ng.
The accompanying image showed a vertical garden made up of neatly arranged rows and columns of planters.
Plants such as Orchids can be seen hanging off a top-mounted rack.
Photo via Benjamin Ng/Facebook.
Netizens were enthused by the concept, and praised Ng for how neatly arranged the setup was:
One user even quipped that it was "condo living for plants":
This person's response encapsulated the online reaction:
How it's made
In response to questions from other users, Ng shared how the vertical garden was made.
According to him, a frame that he built and mounted onto the wall was used to support the planters.
Photo via Benjamin Ng/Facebook.
To deal with potential algae growth, Ng said that he lined the wall with a "massive plastic sheet" to protect the wall.
The planters themselves are bought from "Lazada at about S$7+ each", Ng shared in a comment.
They are not self-watering, Ng advised, and would have to be watered individually.
Not just netizens who like it
Speaking to Mothership, Ng shared that he gets compliments from his neighbours too.
"I do get comments from neighbours walking by asking if my plants are for sale and that it's therapeutic walking through my potted plants", Ng recounted.
This was not his first attempt at what he called a "vertical wall planter", Ng pointed out.
"It is a revamped version set up during the first few months of the lockdown. Couldn't hang out at cafes and wander outside so embarked on this project."
His previous setup was made up of felt cloth pockets, but was taken down after it "grew mouldy".
The previous setup. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Ng.
The current setup. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Ng.
150 species in total
Ng's garden also includes a row of potted plants lined up against the railing walls on the opposite side of the corridor.
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Ng.
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Ng.
In total, Ng counts about "150 species" in his current collection.
It includes species like the rare Philodendron "Ring of Fire", Alocasia "Dark Star", and Ng's "latest prized collection - the Pharaoh's Mask".
The horticultural enthusiast described the garden as stretching for "quite a distance" along the wide corridor — from his "main door to his bedroom".
However, he ensures that there is an unobstructed space that is at least 1.2 metres wide, and that his garden is free of stagnant water.
Here's Ng giving a tour of his garden:
Ng is no newcomer to home-grown gardens.
He told Mothership that while he has been tending to the garden at his Potong Pasir home for around 17 years, his gardening experience spans four decades.
He first picked up the craft by watching his parents and siblings, before refining it over the years through his own experience.
Ng sells the "propagation" from his plants on Facebook and Carousell and documents the plants he grows on his Instagram.
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Top image via Benjamin Ng.