How long will my Green Wall take to grow?

The first thing many of our clients want to know about their new Green Wall is how long it will take to grow and mature. The answer depends on a range of factors, including which species of plant are used and the specific conditions of the site.

Factors which will affect growth rate

As well as plant species and site conditions, there are a number of other variables which will affect how quickly your green wall takes to establish.

• Irrigation: How will the plants be watered? Will it be done manually, by an automatic irrigation system, or by rainfall?
• Maintenance: How much will the plants be looked after? Will they be well-maintained with scheduled maintenance visits or left to fend for themselves?
• Orientation: How much light and/or shade will the plants receive?
• Plant condition: Are the plants of good quality, or are they unhealthy and lacking vigour?
• Soil conditions: What will the plants be growing in? A rich, well-drained growing medium; poor, sandy soil; or waterlogged clay soil?
• Species selection: Have the plants been chosen with the site conditions in mind, as opposed to just looks alone?
• Time of planting: Will planting take place in (optimal) spring conditions or at another time of year? 

Our team of green wall and horticultural specialists can help you consider all the contributing factors for your project, and choose the optimum plants for your site. Once the plants have been chosen, their rate of growth will be far greater if they are regularly watered, fed and maintained. Again, we provide full irrigation and maintenance services to customers, if required. 

Green Wall Projects

We have a wide range of stainless steel trellis Green Wall projects installed throughout the UK and Europe. This means that we have seen first-hand the benefits of carefully selected plants and the vital importance of irrigation and maintenance regimens.

At St Dominic’s College in Harrow, we planted a carefully selected mixture of over 550 climbing plants – including Clematis Montana and Parthenocissus Tricuspidata – in 80 25-litre planters. These plants were chosen for the site’s particular conditions and were pre-grown off-site so that they didn’t undergo too much stress when they were planted out. 

The plants were trained to grow up the Jakob stainless steel Webnet structure. They were planted in spring and had already achieved impressive coverage by the first summer, providing excellent coverage of the stainless steel green wall trellis.

St Dominic's College, Harrow

The Sihl City Shopping Centre car park in Zurich is another great example of a successfully designed and planted green wall. Jakob was responsible for the design, installation and supply of products for the 25.5 x 23m stainless steel structure. After 4 years the car park’s eastern façade was hidden under a blanket of lush, verdant growth provided by a combination of Wisteria sinensis and Aristolochia sp. 

Sihl City Shopping Centre, Zurich

Improving your Green Wall’s growth rate

Such phenomenal growth rates as these are brought about through careful design and execution of a planting system. Regular maintenance ensures plants remain lush and dense, without becoming ‘leggy’, sparse or overgrown.

MMA works closely with landscape architects to design a system that will provide optimal growing conditions for your chosen plants. This can involve suspending the stainless steel trellis system off the façade to provide sufficient space for the plants to twine themselves around the structure; or growing plants in the ground (rather than in planters) to provide a greater tolerance in watering and soil conditions, and less chance of the soil drying out or ‘slumping’. 

It is important to remember that every Green Wall is unique. How long your Green Wall will take to grow will vary according to the factors listed above but, with proper design, planning and execution, each installation can deliver a beautiful, sustainable, bio-diverse and cost-efficient solution over the long-term. 

Further information on Green Walls can be found at www.green-walls.co.uk

Some information provided by Tensile Design and Construct, agents for the Jakob system in Australia.

The Vast Array of Jakob Greenwall Benefits

The Many Benefits of Green Walls

by Justin Errington

Thursday, 17th April, 2014 

Green Walls have been a feature of buildings for many centuries and while the traditional 'ivy-covered' façades of Victorian homes have now been replaced by modern, purpose-built systems, they deliver a wide range of benefits to buildings of all type, shape and size:

• Improved aesthetics

Well designed and maintained Green Walls significantly enhance a building's appearance - whether it's to add a new aesthetic dimension, disguise a car park, refresh a tired façade or add colour and texture to a wall.

• Temperature regulation

Green Walls used on appropriate elevations can reduce energy costs by providing an additional layer of insulation in the winter (keeping heat in) and acting as a screen to the sun in the summer (keeping the building cool).

• Wildlife habitats

With a strong base from the trellis and appropriate planting, green walls can provide an ideal habitat for new wildlife and for wildlife displaced during construction. If required, we can provide new habitats for birds, bugs and bees.

• Protecting façades

Green wall systems can help to protect the façade of a building, extending its life by acting as an effective shield to weather and helping to protect it from damaging UV light.

• Cleaner air

Green Walls in urban areas can help improve local air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen and trapping dust and other pollutants.

• Noise reduction

By adding a layer of insulation (thermal and acoustic) green walls absorb sound, making a positive impact for the building's occupants and the local environment.

• Deter graffiti

If graffiti is a potential problem, green walls can be an effective deterrent, making the application of graffiti to the building structure almost impossible.

To talk through the features of Green Walls in more detail and to see how they could deliver benefits to your project, please get in touch with our experienced support team. We're very happy to help.

Alternatively, please visit one of our Websites - www.green-walls.co.uk, www.jakob.co.uk or www.jakobstainlesssteel.co.uk

Chorus of Praise for Tatton Park Garden

We were delighted to learn that the RHS judges awarded a prestigious Gold Medal to Brendan Vaughan’s ‘The Science of Strings’ garden at this year’s RHS Tatton Park Flower Show. Congratulations to Brendan and his team for producing such a stunning display, which featured Jakob stainless steel wire ropes and tensioners.

For more details of the garden read our recent entry “MMA Instrumental in Tatton Park Garden Design”.

MMA Instrumental in Tatton Park Garden Design

We are delighted to be sponsoring Brendan Vaughan’s ‘The Science of Strings’ garden at this year’s RHS Tatton Park Flower Show (http://www.brendanvaughangardendesign.com).

Brendan won a design competition to develop an ‘orchestra garden’, his design concept being based on the exploration of strings and in particular, how sound is generated by a stringed instrument. The design theme is inspired by sound waves and frequencies which are represented in the garden by undulating lawns and radiating planted circles.

We will be supplying 200 metres of 4mm Jakob stainless steel wire rope and tensioners for the garden.  The ropes represent vibrating strings and are tensioned between the back wall of the garden and a stainless steel arch which represents a tuning fork.

For over a century, Jakob's ropes and rods have been used in projects throughout the world, our comprehensive product range being suitable for a wide variety of applications. Manufactured from High Grade 316 stainless steel and with sizes ranging from 1mm right up to 26mm, the wire ropes are available in various construction types, the precise manufacturing process ensuring that all products are made to the nearest millimetre.

As demonstrated by Brendan’s innovative design, the range provides great scope to create design solutions for different applications from conventional balustrades to the slightly more unusual stringed garden.

For more information, contact our support team on 0845 1300 135 or visit http://www.jakob.co.uk.

New Websites Launched

Visit www.jakob.co.uk for a new improved website showing off the Jakob range of Stainless Steel Wire Ropes and Webnet.

We have also launched a brand new Green Walls Website, www.green-walls.co.uk .

Jakob supply - (Click to take you to the website.)

Stainless Steel Wire Ropes and Wire Rope Fittings.
Stainless Steel Rods
Stainless Steel Webnet
Stainless Steel Trellis Components.

The Monument Restoration

London’s iconic Monument reopened on 16 February 2009 following completion of an 18 month, £4.5m restoration project. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the 61m Monument was built in 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London.

MMA’s Webnet stainless steel mesh has been installed to enclose the viewing platform, making it a safe environment for visitors to enjoy panoramic views across London. See a brief video presentation of the refurbished Monument or detailed images of the Webnet installation. Visit our main site at www.mma.gb.com or www.jakob.co.uk

Jakob Wire Ropes

MMA Architectural Systems Ltd are the Sole UK Agent for Jakob AG.

Jakob have been manufacturing high quality Stainless Steel Wire ropes for over 100 years, developing a comprehensive range of ropes and fittings suitable for a wide variety of applications. Visit our main site at http://www.jakob.co.uk/ or https://www.mma-architectural.co.uk/

Sizes range from 1mm to 26mm, and are available in various construction types. Our precise manufacturing process ensures that all ropes are made to the nearest millimetre – as specified by the customer.

Jakob’s range of end connectors provides great scope to design solutions for different applications. All our end connectors are manufactured in-house, and are therefore subject to strict quality controls.

Our ropes have been used in a wide range of applications, including balustrading and tie wires.

Click link to download a copy of our extensive catalogue outlining Stainless Steel Wire rope systems and Wire rope fittings.



Stainless Steel Rods

Jakob Stainless Steel rods are supplied in a broad range of sizes - from 6mm to 24mm, and are manufactured to the same exacting quality standards as our Stainless Steel Ropes.

This means that our tie rods are ideal both for structural applications, such as canopy supports, and design features where the visual impact is as important as the function.
Made from High Grade 316 Stainless Steel, Jakob rods are perfect for outdoor use and suitable for even the harshest environments such as coastal areas.

All Jakob products have been developed to be designed and installed in combination, with compatible sizes and finishes across each of the ranges.

Complete bespoke systems can be designed in minutes and installed quickly and easily by any competent workman.

Should there be specific cost or performance parameters, we can also supply hot-dipped galvanised rods. These rods are available in sizes from 10mm to 100mm, and up to 15m in length with a maximum limit tension load of up to 2900 kN.

Our aesthetically designed tension rod system is approved by the European Organisation for Technical Approvals, meaning that specifiers can use this system with confidence and without having to undergo further time consuming and costly approval procedures.

Click link to download a copy of our extensive catalogue outlining Jakob Stainless Steel Rods


Stainless Steel Webnet

Jakob Webnet is a versatile pliable, mesh system manufactured from High Grade 316 Stainless Steel rope. An innovative, highly durable product, Webnet may be used in many different applications.

Webnet is available in a wide range of sizes and may be coated in any RAL colour, to suit specific design and functional requirements. The system is both UV and weather resistant - perfect for outdoor use and ideal for harsh environments such as coastal areas.
Webnet is suitable for a host of applications, including: Balustrading, Animal enclosures, Art forms, Plant supports, Safety nets, Fencing and Aviaries.

Click to download our Jakob Webnet Catalogue.
Green Solutions

The greening of buildings, by growing plants on their external facades, is increasingly being used by designers to add a new aesthetic element to a building, as well as to deliver cost and environmental benefits over the building’s life.

Jakob’s Green Wall range of high quality, stainless steel systems allows architects to achieve a wide range of designs, on the vast majority of building structures.

Our range of standard product components and fittings allows maximum design freedom for almost all building types and style, enabling design solutions to be achieved that are both aesthetically interesting and cost effective.

Each component is manufactured from High Grade 316 Stainless Steel, providing complete design and quality assurance and so a whole life building solution – suitable for even the harshest environments such as coastal applications.

For product, design and installation advice, contact our technical support team.

Jakob’s Green Wall systems combines great design scope with a number of ecological and performance benefits:

Helps to protect the building facade

Effective deterrent to graffiti

Breathes new life into tired building facades

Easy to install

Helps regulate the building temperature
www.green-walls.co.uk - Mini site for Jakob Greenwall System.


Jakob’s Green Solutions range provides an environmentally friendly, sustainable solution for design and construction professionals. Follow the link to download Green Solutions Catalogue for Green Walls.

Our Websites http://www.mma-architectural.co.uk/ or https://www.jakob.co.uk/ are live and are full of information regarding the Jakob Range of Wire ropes, Rods, Webnet and Green wall systems.

If you would like more information please do not hesitate to contact us, call 01761 419427 or email us at sales@mma-architectural.co.uk our address and other numbers can be found on the catalogue.