Stone and steel: they’re tough, enduring and, when turned into garden furniture, have a raw beauty. Gabion walls, columns, pedestals, benches, tables and stools give style, sophistication and a sculptural element to your outdoors. And you don’t have to be stuck with monochromatic grey. Stones come in many colours so you can go for blue, yellow or red. Or mix up your rocks for a multi-hued effect.
WATCH: Charlie Albone’s guide to succulents
What can I fill gabions with?
Put cut foliage or flowers between the wires to give it a seasonal touch. Or you can use the frames to support epiphytic plants, such as a collection of tillandsias; they’re part of the bromeliad family and don’t need soil to thrive because they draw their nutrients from the air and use their roots to hook themselves to the frames. They’ll happily sit there forever, drawing sustenance from the convivial atmosphere of your outdoor entertainment.
Gabion walls are often less expensive than poured-in-place concrete or retaining wall blocks and when filled with rocks or stones, they add intriguing texture to your garden. Plus, gabion walls offer you the opportunity to fill cavities with plants. Try the options below.
Best plants for a gabion wall
Spanish moss
Spanish moss has to be the world’s easiest plant to grow. Also called old man’s beard or, if you want to get technical, Tillandsia usneoides.
Sempervivum
Sempervivum are frequently used in containers, why not add them to your gabion wall instead.
Tillandsia
Air plants, or tillandsias, are a tropical American plant that usually grows on trees. It has long, narrow laves that absorb water and nutrients from their environment.
Lobularia
Usually planted as a groundcover or edging plant, alyssum (Lobularia maritima) produces a ball of frothy white blooms. The flowers have a soft, honey-like scent and continue for months through spring and summer.
The beauty of a metal structure is you can choose what types of rocks you fill it with. Play with shapes, colours and textures, as here, by mixing two distinct types of rock. It’s form and function working together brilliantly!
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