What do you know about Preserved Moss and Plant Walls?
Add A Vibrant Green Wall To Any Space With Zero Maintenance
By now it’s no secret that biophilic design is good for you. Living walls have become increasingly common in recent years as designers and architects learn more about the benefits of bringing nature into the built environment. When choosing to showcase a living garden wall, the results can be dramatic and visually striking. But what if there was a less expensive way to get the visual aesthetic of a living wall, with similar biophilic benefits, without committing to all the needs of living, breathing plants like bright light and regular watering? Well, there is! The solution is a wall made of preserved moss and plants.
A Different Kind of Green Wall
At Urbanstrong, we offer green walls made entirely from preserved vegetation. Urbanstrong’s line of preserved moss and plant panels are the zero-maintenance option that still provides the visual appeal and calming effects of indoor living green walls. After all, these pieces are all 100% natural. First harvested according to ecologically sustainable practices, the moss and plants are then preserved using food-grade safe glycerin. That means they do not require any watering, lighting, trimming or maintenance of any time. While their natural forest smell will eventually dissipate, they will maintain their color, structure and natural feel for years.
No Water, No Cry
Like all living things, the plants in a traditional living green wall require light and water to survive. Some indoor living walls are lucky enough to be located near a source of natural light. This can be a window or skylight. Often with indoor living walls, adequate natural light is not available year round. This is particularly common in winter climate cities like New York. In this case, auxiliary lighting is sometimes installed just for the living wall.
The plants in these walls also need to be regularly irrigated with water. This could mean running a cold water line and potentially a drainage line to the wall. Or it could mean someone being responsible for manually bringing water to the wall. In either case this is sometimes not an option.
Preserved moss and plants are like taxidermy-greenery. Just like the deer head on the wall at the cabin, preserved greenery is real, was once alive, but no longer is. So they no longer require food (light) and water. Many Urbanstrong clients start out wanting a living wall but soon realize they either don’t have the existing infrastructure nor budget for installation and/or maintenance. This is where preserved moss and plant walls come to the rescue.
Creating a Calming Space with Preserved Moss
Adding natural elements and plants to a home or work environment has mood boosting properties. In fact, humans are naturally hard-wired to crave connection to nature. But in today’s urbanized world, most of us spend up to 85% of our time indoors. In 2020, that amount has probably risen as we have been faced with lockdowns and pandemic restrictions. The anxiety created by the uncertain times we are experiencing is only magnified by the fact that we are indoors, away from nature and unable to soak up its benefits.
Perhaps you’ve gone on a walk in the park recently. How did you feel when you returned home? Is the answer refreshed, relaxed, or energized? That’s biophilia at work. As winter approaches and temperatures drop, walks in the park will become less enticing, not to mention, there won’t be much greenery to see. But with the days getting shorter, it’s more important than ever to add some green to your home so you can continue to get those biophilic benefits year-round.
An Entire Wall of Greenery? Sounds Great!
All green walls, living or preserved, have significant sound absorption. This makes them great for home offices, conference rooms or classrooms. They muffle echoes to improve speech intelligibility and sound quality for verbal communication. Whether you are looking for cheerful hanging pieces to liven up your living room, or the wow factor of a full-size wall, we can work with you to create the perfect preserved moss wall for you and your needs.
Zero Maintenance Biophilia
Preserved moss is an indoor-use product only and its softness may vary according to the relative humidity of the room. In the case of a very dry environment (below 30% humidity), the moss may dry out, but you will find it will become soft again when placed in a room with normal humidity or when the relative humidity goes back to normal. This variation is usually related to the season and use of indoor heating. A relative humidity considered as “normal” is usually between 45 and 65%. A good rule of thumb though is that if the humidity is comfortable for the people inside, it’s fine for the preserved greenery.
Never spray or water the moss. Be aware that the ‘’softness state’’ of the moss does not change its look, it will always look green, fresh and natural. Some mosses retain their natural scent for a few weeks. This is particularly apparent in smaller poorly ventilated rooms. However, this will progressively fade after a few weeks. The preserved moss product should never be placed in direct sunlight as the color may fade. If dusting is required, using a blow dryer on a low temperature setting will work.
Customizable and Eye-Catching
Setting up a preserved moss wall is a breeze. Our preserved greenery is adhered to a lightweight rigid backing forming a panel. Our goal is always to reduce the heaviness of the finished product. We then either mount these panels into the art frame of your choice or install them directly onto your wall. We make each piece from scratch to suit your needs. Custom sizes and shapes fit perfectly together to create a seamless tapestry. Preserved moss comes in a variety of colors and textures which can be assembled into artistic designs or custom logos upon request. In addition to mosses, we also have available in this same preserved state dozens of species of grasses, palms and ferns. Blended together, we can achieve endless combinations and patterns of textures, depth, and color.
Give the Gift of Greenery…Without the Hassle
Preserved moss installations would also make an excellent gift for friends or family members that have shown interest in a living wall but don’t necessarily have the light required to support it, or the time to maintain it. Gifts should bring joy to the recipient, and if a living wall would be more burden than pleasure, give the gift of zero maintenance preserved moss!
Ready to get started?
Preserved greenery is the perfect solution for those who want the look of a lush living wall without the responsibility of keeping dozens, or hundreds, of plants alive. Urbanstrong offers a wide variety of preserved moss options. They range from full wall creations for offices or lobbies, to small scale pieces that fit perfectly into the home just like a new piece of art.
You’re just a few steps away from the preserved moss wall of your dreams!
Lead time 2-5 weeks (depending on size, # of species, framing, our production queue, etc.)
Price range $50-90/sq. ft
Custom framing available
Logo or stencil incorporation available
Local pickup available
ZERO maintenance
For more information on our preserved moss products and installation, please send us a message or give us a call (914.893.2782)! We’re happy to answer any questions you may have.
