How To Compare Replacement Window Prices – Brands, Materials and More

It doesn't matter if you want to improve your view, increase your home's security, or make your home more energy-efficient; if you are in the market for replacement windows, there are a few important factors to consider - cost, brand and material are just a few.

Here are some tips to help you get the best replacement windows for your home, and wallet.

1. What Type Of Window Replacement Do You Need? The cost of replacement windows has a dramatic range. They range from really cheap to expensive, expertly crafted wood replacement windows. If keeping costs low is of primary importance to you, you'll find the prices of vinyl appealing. Figure out how many years you plan on staying in the condo or house. If it is less than five, consider vinyl replacement windows rather than wood.
2. Make Appointments for Free In-Home Estimates. Call three window replacement companies specializing strictly in replacement windows to compare them. When you call the company, make sure the estimate is free and that there are no obligations attached to the visit. Some window companies will cleverly find out if you are married or have a "significant other" by asking leading questions. Be careful of this tactic, as if they find out you do have another decision-maker in the house, they might refuse to come out unless both of you are there.
3. Ask For Info about Cheap Replacement Windows. Window replacement companies will likely tell you all about a high-priced or middle of the road window. Ask them to talk to you about a window replacement that is a "step down" from what they are talking about. Indicate to them that you'd like their business, but that you have a strict budget that you will be adhering to. If the salesperson knows you will be stubborn on pricing, he will do his best to sell you on a cheap window (which will likely be what you are looking for anyway). These days, vinyl replacement windows are growing in popularity because they are energy-efficient and affordable. And fiberglass replacement windows are another great option if you're looking for durable, energy efficient windows.
4. Make Appointments with Handy Men and Contractors. Ask your neighbors and friends for references for handy men with experience installing windows. Have one or two evaluate your home and give you prices. Make sure that they have been given glowing recommendations before you invite them into your home. Ask them what kind of window they would use. It's also helpful to look for replacement window reviews and consumer ratings online before making a decision; you'll likely find valuable information about windows and local companies from Long Island to Reno, NV and everywhere in between.
5. Stick To Your Guns. Have a budget that you want to stick with for your windows, but allow for wiggle room. Never make a decision on the spot, particularly with the window replacement companies -- they are trained to close deals! They will tempt you with discount prices, but it is always wiser to compare several bids. Ask for an extension of three days on the price that they quote you to give you time to think it over. Do not feel bad that you aren't giving them business--it is their job to prove to you why you should hire them.



6. Compile Information. Keep all the window informational sheets and packets on your desk for comparison. It is likely that two or three of the companies or handymen will be using the same windows. This will make your comparison that much easier.
7. Replacement Window Pricing. Here's some more information about generally what replacement windows cost. 
   Cost is broken down into two basic things - the price of each window and price of installation. Break down the bids into these two categories. Compare the cost of replacement windows in terms of price per window installed. The low end (depending on where you live) will be $300/window for Harvey vinyl replacement windows and the high end for a product like Anderson or Pella could be $1000/window installed.
8. Quality. Factor in the quality of the window. Who makes the best replacement windows? That depends largely on your objectives. The price per window on Pella replacement windows, or Anderson, will be significantly higher than a price on vinyl replacement windows like Harvey. Decide if you really need the triple-paned window or if you just need a generic double-paned window. Most of the time the contractors and window companies will be showing you almost identical windows, but do your best to compare them on quality. Ask for brochures on the windows and set up a chart comparing the assets of each. Research the window model number online as well.
9. Warranty. Ask about the warranty on the windows. Most of the companies specializing in window replacement will offer a warranty on parts and service. Handymen and general contractors will not offer service contracts usually, but the window itself may have a transferable warranty. Ask if the warranty exists and if it is transferable. A transferable warranty means that it transfers to the next owner for the duration of the warranty. If you are planning on doing a condo over and reselling it, a warranty is a great asset to advertise.
10. Timing. The window replacement companies will lead you to believe that it takes over three weeks to get the replacement windows. Unless there is a serious back order on the particular window you are buying, it will take less time. These companies would like you to feel pressured into making a decision quickly, so as to "get the order process started." Ask them, point blank, how long the order will take, and that if it takes more than three weeks, you are not interested. It may be the case that it will take longer, but usually two to three weeks for regular replacements is the norm.
11. Payment. Companies may seek three installments - one at purchase, another when the replacement windows come in, and the last at the end of installation. Make sure you are clear on the cost and payment schedule before committing.

One of the most important things about contracting a business or contractor to do your windows is to feel comfortable - both with the cost as well as the service. Deciding on whether a warranty is that important to you, figuring out a price that you can afford, and choosing the quality of the window are other important considerations. Good luck finding the best price!

 

Caution:

• Never make a decision on the spot.

Quick Tips:

• Get three bids from companies specializing in window replacements.
• Get at least two bids from general contractors and/or handymen who can do the job.

Useful Links:

• Free price quotes from local window contractors.

Vegetable patches for children

Nothing tastes better than veggies you’ve grown

When you involve your kids, a garden yields much more than just fruits and veggies.

Children can thrive and come to life in a garden; it builds confidence and self-esteem.

— Lee Coykendall, children’s education specialist

On the surface, it’s a straightforward proposition with an obvious goal: Take your child outside, dig a few holes and drop in vegetable seeds. Watch them grow, then harvest and eat the results. But the positive effects of gardening will ripple through that child’s entire life. Research has revealed that children who grow what they eat are more aware of nutrition and prefer fruits and vegetables over other foods. Teenagers who garden eat more fruits and vegetables than their friends do and continue to do so over their entire lives, a practice that can prevent or delay chronic diseases. Other benefits include improved interest in the environment, better marks on science tests and better mental health.

Start them early

It's never too early or too late to get kids started in the garden. But whether your children are toddlers, tweens or teens, all experts support a few general rules.

Perhaps the most important is that the garden should be a no-stress zone. “Children can thrive and come to life in a garden; it builds confidence and self-esteem,” said Lee Coykendall, children’s education specialist. “There’s no pass/fail here and no marks.”

Adults must be ready to give up some control and allow children to make their own mistakes in the garden. That might mean that the rows of lettuce are uneven or a plant might die, but giving a child ownership is a powerful statement of trust.

“My advice is to keep it fun and keep it in perspective,” said Roger Doiron, founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International.

It might be necessary to use restraint when considering the size of your garden. First-timers tend to be overly ambitious and get swept away in the excitement of that first visit to buy seeds or seedlings.

Remember that all summer long, you must water and weed what you plant, so start small. Success in planting a half-barrel with cherry tomatoes or lettuce might be all that is needed to show younger children the way.

So many plants, so little space

Asked what to plant in a children’s garden, Sharon Lovejoy, author of "Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots" and "Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars," said her first impulse is to say, “Everything.” Here is her list for “star performers that are a must in a child’s garden.”

Pumpkins: If she had to choose one plant for kids, this would be it. Try mini-pumpkins like white Boo, palm-size Munchkins and Jack-Be-Littles. For gardens with room to spread out, go with larger Rouge Vif d’Etampes, Connecticut Field or Lumina.

Sunflowers: Giant Gray Stripe, Paul Bunyan and Russian Mammoth are impressively tall varieties, while Teddy Bear, Music Box, Elf and Sunspot are more kid-sized.

Corn: Strawberry popcorn can be put in a microwave and popped. Mini-Indian corn can be grown in a half-barrel.

Berries: Alpine strawberries are easiest to plant and grow.

Carrots: Lovejoy called carrots “buried treasure.” Thumbelina and Parmex are small, round varieties, while Mincors are baby-finger size.

Tomatoes: Tiny golden currant, yellow, red cherry and marble-size, green-grape tomatoes are perfect for garden snacking.

Chives: These are very easy to grow and great in soups, salads and sandwiches.

Potatoes: Make your own Mr. Potato Head using fruits and vegetables for the face and hair.

Radishes: Called “springers” because they sprout quickly, they come in red, white, lavender and deep violet. Icicles are long and skinny. Saxa can be harvested in 18 days, and Parat grows to the size of a baseball in less than a month. The giant Daikon can be up to 5 feet long.

What to plant

Several schools of thought exist on how to decide what to plant, but give children a chance to choose some foods they like. After that, you might consider vegetables that germinate quickly, meaning they break through the ground in just a few weeks.

Quick results are especially good for young ones with short attention spans. It’s a sure bet that they will be hooked as soon as they see plants coming up where they put seeds in the ground. Favourites that pop up quickly include snap beans, radishes and lettuces.

For older children, work backward from the kitchen. What do they like to eat? In her children’s garden book “Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots,” author Sharon Lovejoy promotes themed gardens. For example, a Mexican garden will yield ingredients for salsa and pico de gallo.

Another option is Italian flavours. “Everybody loves pizza, so think about a pizza garden,” Lovejoy said. “Plant oregano and basil, plum and cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onion and garlic, and have a do-it-yourself pizza party.”

Lovejoy's advice is to plant this garden in the round. Divide a circular plot into triangular “pizza” slices, growing one crop in each slice. “It’s amazing to watch children discover that tomato sauce grows in the ground and doesn’t come from a jar,” Lovejoy said. Another garden-to-table dish is pesto. Harvest basil and garlic and make a batch of pesto sauce to put on spaghetti or sandwiches.

Trying something out of the ordinary adds an element of anticipation or surprise to your garden experience. Potatoes are simple to grow, either from eyes or plants, but consider exploring interesting varieties. Different shapes, such as fingerling or marble potatoes, or unusual colours, like purple- or blue-fleshed spuds, add excitement to a dinner plate.

Garden location

Putting a garden in the right place is the key to keeping children involved. Locate it too far away, and it might be forgotten. “Make it convenient,” said Doiron. “The closer it is to your kitchen door, the better.”

Children need to easily interact with their garden, to walk by and pull a weed, discover a new shoot or notice what needs watering. Lovejoy encourages garden snacking and keeps an old colander near the garden for harvesting a handful of berries or grape tomatoes. Carrots and radishes can be pulled up, rinsed off and eaten for a healthy snack without ever opening a cupboard or refrigerator door.

“Wash fruits and vegetables off outside under the spigot, and then again when you bring them indoors,” Lovejoy advised. (Be sure to wash garden produce with water from the spigot, not a garden hose, which can harbour harmful bacteria.)

Not having enough space shouldn’t be an excuse to bypass the garden experience. You can grow fruits and vegetables in your garden, but you can also scratch the garden itch in a pot on a sunny windowsill, small balcony or in a community garden. You might even check local listings for summer gardening camps for kids.

Tools for tots

Keeping children active and interested can be as easy as providing them with the right tools. When they’re starting out in the garden, young ones can have a blast with a big spoon. As they develop the gardening bug, child-size trowels, shovels and hoes might increase kids' enthusiasm. Gardening hats and gloves also come in mini-versions, and a small watering can could become your child’s favourite plaything.

Ethan Bergman, a registered dietitian, has proof that including his young children in the planning, planting and care of the family vegetable garden had a lasting impact. “Today, two of them have their own gardens as young adults,” Bergman said with obvious pride. “The other works in large gardens that grow vegetables for the local farmer’s market.”

While they’re working in the garden, children are being physically active, learning about growth cycles, weather and seasons, avoiding televisions and computers, and forging close bonds with you. The nutritional lessons of the garden are not found in textbooks or lesson plans, but in a child’s natural delight at discovering where food comes from and how good it tastes when it’s grown by their own efforts.

Small space gardens

Limited space shouldn't keep you from harvesting at home

A small garden can yield large rewards.

You can plant pole beans that grow vertically to get a bigger harvest in the same acreage. Cucumbers and melons can also grow against a trellis.

— Susan Littlefield, horticultural editor, National Gardening Association

If you're stuck with a tiny front garden, or you live in a flat, you may think picking your own freshly grown produce and flowers is just a dream. Think again. You don't need a sprawling back garden to have your very own at-home garden filled with the veggies and blooms you love. A small-space garden only requires some planning and effort. “Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a lot of space," said Susan Littlefield, horticultural editor for the South Burlington, National Gardening Association. "You can still harvest, even if it’s a few herb plants on a windowsill. You can still get that connection to the natural world.”

Getting started

Not having the luxury of a huge garden with uninterrupted sunlight and perfect irrigation means you have to do more thinking before purchasing potting soil and seedlings.

First, evaluate the sun exposure on your patio, windowsill, a section of dirt near your front door or any area you are considering for the garden. The amount of sunlight will determine what kinds of plants you will be able to grow says Mary Estes, a landscape architect.

“Does the space have morning sun, afternoon sun, sun all day or is it shady? Food plants generally need around six hours of sunlight per day and ornamental plants vary from little to all-day sun tolerances,” she said.

You also have to consider the mature size of the plant. If you think it may become an obstacle or require a lot of pruning to fit in the available space, ponder something smaller. If you envision your high-rise balcony lushly lined with decorative and food plants, find out about soil requirements before purchasing a palm or apple tree, since containers offer less soil depth, Estes said.

Speaking of containers, upper-floor apartment dwellers should seek out lightweight versions in fiberglass or resin for their balconies. The pots must have holes to encourage drainage, and saucers to minimise water and soil stains, Estes said.

She said narrow rectilinear containers that follow the perimeter of your patio or balcony are good alternatives to the space-eating round containers. You can vary the container heights for visual interest, and play with the plant forms within for additional layering.

Soil FYI

All soil is not created equal. A good organic potting soil is suitable for most annuals and flowers, while a blend of topsoil and mulch works with small patio trees and shrubs, according to Mary Estes, landscape architect and president of Phoenix-based Indigenous Minds.

For productive gardens, Estes suggests seeking out one of the many varieties of container garden — or box garden — mixes. They consist of soil, nutrients and organic fertilizers that will help make the most of your garden.

For container planting, Estes places a layer of gravel in the bottom of the container and covers it with filter fabric before adding the soil. The fabric keeps the soil out of the gravel, helping to ensure proper drainage.

“Filter fabric isn’t a common item around the house, so as a replacement I’ve successfully used coffee filters for the same application,” she said.

For container plant soil, use one that has a light texture and retains moisture while offering good drainage, recommends Susan Littlefield, horticultural editor for the National Gardening Association.

“If the bag feels like you’re picking up a bag of wet sand, leave it," she said. "You want something that drains and gives adequate air.”

Adding compost helps any growing condition in any region, Littlefield says.

“If your soil is heavy, it will help open up the soil. If it’s dry, it’s going to keep moisture in. If you have a small space and are gardening intensively, compost becomes more important.”

Maximising and finding space

Thinking outside of the plant box is another way to procure garden space. Littlefield likes to take advantage of vertical spaces.

She says there are nice options — honeysuckle or bougainvillea — when it comes to decorative vines that extend vertically and produce colourful blooms. But, if creating a sustainable source that will put food on your table is a goal, you are a trellis or two away from several additional options.

“You can plant pole beans that grow vertically to get a bigger harvest in the same acreage," Littlefield said. "Cucumbers and melons can also grow against a trellis.”

A sunny but bland front porch can be a perfect home for a fresh herb box. The box can be moved inside for the winter or to another spot when needed.

“Herbs don’t take much space and it’s nice to snip some fresh parsley or basil for your salad,” Littlefield said.

And, if you are embarrassed by barren or less attractive spots around your house, a series of container plants can also resolve those issues.

“Think of non-traditional gardening spaces like your driveway or balcony,” Littlefield said. “If you have a shady garden but a driveway in full sun, you can line one edge of the driveway with containers of tomatoes and peppers.”

Making your landscape do double duty is another way to maximise your gardening options. Consider replacing the ornamental crabapple tree in the front yard with a fruiting apple tree or citrus varietals, depending on your climate. Swap out the boring shrub with an edible berry-bearing bush.

Littlefield said it's just a matter of being creative about "where you grow stuff."

"You can combine vegetables with flowers so you have an attractive landscape as well as a productive one,” she said. “You can do parsley and nasturtiums in a box so it doesn’t have to look like just a vegetable container. You’re getting the best of both worlds.”

What to plant

Maximising your little garden’s potential means maximising the production of everything you plant.

For a flower garden you may select perennials, annuals or a combination of perennials and annuals. Among perennials are flowers with short blooming seasons, including peonies. Shasta daisies, by contrast, have long blooming seasons. If you don’t mind seasonal digging and planting, Littlefield said, annuals might be your best bet as they tend to enjoy a long bloom season.

Ideally, you want a variety that can fit in with all four seasons.

“Get something that could have flowers in spring, berries in summer and nice fall colors so you’re getting more visual interest for that plant," Littlefield said. "If you want to get the most bang for your buck, you may not want something that has flowers in the spring but is a boring shrub the rest of the year.”

For an edible garden, grow produce that most members of your household will actually eat. You may love beets, but if everyone else can’t stand them, using precious space to grow them may not be worth it. Littlefield suggests you think about the most expensive or difficult-to-find produce and make that part of your at-home farm.

“If you like kale or chard, or unusual greens or herbs used in Thai cooking, most are easy to grow," she said. "Depending on what you’re growing, you can save a lot of money.”

Avoid plants such as sweet corn, squash and peas, which monopolize space but yield little when it comes to harvest time. Stay away from aggressive spreaders — such as mint — that can take over the garden. If you do crave such things, keep them in their own containers above ground, or bury the container below ground to keep the roots constrained.

Organic vegetable gardening

There's more than dirt to dig when you go organic

The organic gardening "trend" seems to be more permanent than a passing fad.

Going organic takes some planning, but it can be done, and once you’ve done the preparation, it’s really no different than regular gardening.

— David Chambers, manager of Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden

Organic gardening is a growing trend among consumers seeking to ensure that the food they eat is free of pesticides and other chemicals. Whether you are new to gardening in general or have experience with traditional gardening practices and want to make a transition to organic gardening, challenges await you. “Going organic takes some planning, but it can be done, and once you’ve done the preparation, it’s really no different than regular gardening,” said David Chambers, manager of Mr. Cason’s Vegetable Garden.

Ground preparation

Soil preparation is one of the key challenges with organic gardening. It takes time for the dirt itself to adjust.

“It’s a slower process," Chambers said. "You just can’t 'go organic' because your soil still has a lot of toxins in it so it takes a few years before your soil is free of nonorganic chemicals,” he said.

A few years could stretch out to four to five years. It can take that long to rid the soil of any previous pesticides, fertilisers and supplements.

The next step is to prep the soil with organic matter. According to Patricia L. Collins, director of gardens at Callaway Gardens, this means adding compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and green sand to supply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In some gardens, you may also need to add lime.

She suggests making your own compost with banana peels, apple cores, egg shells, lettuce leaves and other kitchen waste, along with chopped leaves and grass clippings. Keep adding materials until you have a 6-inch layer of compost. Cover it with a layer of 2 to 3 inches of soil, manure or finished compost. Do not use cat litter or dog droppings, which may contain parasites and other harmful organisms. Also, avoid meat and bones, which will attract scavenging animals.

Till or dig in your fertiliser and two kinds of organic matter. Let the garden’s nutrients seep into the soil for at least a month before planting.

The next step is the organic plants or seeds themselves.

“I’d suggest something simple for starters, like strawberries or tomatoes,” Chambers said. “They’re more expensive but worth it.”

Bugging out

Dave Chambers, manager of Mr. Cason’s Vegetable Garden says it’s best to use nature to fight nature.

“Keep the garden well-weeded and space the plants out," he said. "If they’re too close together, it attracts bugs and it makes it easier (for the bugs) to go from one plant to another.”

While some gardeners use organic pesticides, others advocate attracting good bugs to eat the bad bugs. For example, soldier beetles feast on aphids and caterpillars, while ground beetles will naturally eliminate slugs and snails. Ladybugs are natural predators against aphids, mealybugs and mites.

Chambers points out one potential problem with these natural solutions: Insects that are beneficial in one environment may cause problems in others -- including those of your neighbors gardens.

“There is really no way you can keep them only on your property," he said. "I know people who spent money buying ladybugs, and then they go to their nextdoor neighbour’s garden. Unless you have a greenhouse, they’re a bit hard to control.”

Raising the plants

Once the plants are in the ground, they will attract their share of pests and weeds. Blanket the garden with organic mulch or mesh netting. If you pick a material like ground bark that will decompose over a season or two, till it into the soil for additional nutrients.

Chambers says it’s more of an urban myth that planting marigolds will chase away bugs.

“The really smelly ones with little blooms on them will do that, but those are not the marigolds that are usually sold in nurseries or hardware stores,” he said.

Organic pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis -- or BT -- neem, horticultural oil and pyrethrins will get rid of bugs, although each has its own peculiarities. None resemble the kill-anything-that-moves pesticides used by the non-organic gardener.

Chambers says there are other ways to reduce bugs, such as rotating crops, not overwatering and keeping plenty of space between plants.

Some fun gardening tools can help you go organic. To get rid of wasps and yellow jackets, Tolland Homes offers colorful glass traps that require only sugar water. You may also use garden windmills to keep the air flowing and deter the bugs.

Some people may want an instant organic garden. Nancy La Motte, president of Welsh, Louisiana-based Anamese Garden & Home, recommends those gardeners fill large containers with organic soil to accommodate their organic seeds or plants.

Anamese sells a variety of styles and sizes of containers.

“We have a lot of large pots with plastic liners that come out of the pot,” she said. “They are perfect for planting, and then if you need to let them have more sun or if it’s raining too much, you simply lift up the liner and put the plant elsewhere.”

However you plan to start and run your garden, you'll be part of an organic movement that is here to stay, Collins said.

“People are willing to spend more for organic food," she said. "It’s not a trend that’s going away, so starting an organic garden -- even if you don’t have a lot of space – makes a lot of sense.”

Grow up: Into the world of vertical gardening

Expand your garden's horizons with vertical gardening

Going vertical has plenty of environmental benefits. It also looks very cool.

It’s quite easy for the home gardener to tap into living walls in a modest way.

— Susan Morrison, residential landscape designer and author

Gardeners are climbing the walls ... literally. And it’s not extreme weather, poor soil or tender leaves nibbled to lace by pesky insects that’s pushing them to new heights. Instead, it's a strong concern for the environment. Called bio walls, green walls or vertical gardens, this expanding horizon of the horticultural world takes your garden and plants it up on the wall. The benefit: Vertical gardens help the environment by reducing urban heat, delaying storm water runoff and improving indoor air quality.

The basics

Patrick Blanc, the "father of living walls."

Living wall plant picks

When selecting plants for your outdoor vertical garden, take into account your hardiness zone and choose accordingly. Beginners can start with herbs and edibles, such as lettuces and strawberries, or look for interesting combinations of colours, textures and shapes in local plants and flowers.

Susan Morrison, a residential landscape designer, Master Gardener and co-author of “Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces,” has the following suggestions:

Succulents require little water and are low maintenance. Good choices include Sedum such as Carnea, Dragon’s Blood and Red Carpet; Echeveria; and Crassula such as Jade Plant, Pygmy-weed and Rosary Plant.

Cold-tolerant plants include Carex or Sedges such as Sparkler, Evergold and Everest; and Heucheras or Coral Bells such as Caramel, Beaujolais and Plum Pudding.

Trailing plants for dramatic effect include Dead Nettle (in a variety of colours), Petite Licorice, Limelight and Million Bells.

When it comes to the “wow!” factor, no one does vertical gardening like French botanist Patrick Blanc, known as the "father of living walls." His gardens run up entire faces of multistory buildings and large walls inside corporate lobbies. Blanc’s stunning vertical gardens are nourished by elaborate soilless hydroponic systems that keep greenery thriving.

These impressive projects are giving creative home gardeners food for thought. In the past, vertical spaces have gone bare on patios, decks, balconies, fences and yards, but that is changing. There’s a whole movement blossoming to maximise those overlooked upright spaces and add new dimensions to your gardening palette. Vertical gardens for the home expand your planting space, turn walls or fences into focal points, and show off your garden mastery.

You don't need to possess Blanc's experience or artistic eye to create a vertical garden. It's something beginners can do. “It’s quite easy for the home gardener to tap into living walls in a modest way,” said Susan Morrison, a Northern California residential landscape designer, Master Gardener and co-author of “Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces." Morrison notes that she loves stepping outside and snipping herbs for the kitchen from the wall right next to her back door.

But Colleen Dudley, a senior horticulturist at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, suggests that you ease into your first vertical garden. “It can be really cool looking and novel,” she said, “but you might want to start small, because when it comes to watering and plant maintenance, vertical gardening can be labor intensive.”

Container systems

Unlike the costly soilless method used in major projects, beginners first need to choose a container system to hold potting soil and plants. According to Morrison, the four to consider include tray systems, pocket systems, kits and create-your-own solutions.

Trays have many gridlike plastic planting sections held together in a frame. You put the unit flat on a table to pack each cell with soil and a plant or two and then mount it on the wall. The cells are slanted so the soil does not fall out. These come in modular sections that can be snapped together to expand your living wall.

The pocket or pouch system works well for both indoor and outdoor plantings. These feltlike pockets wick moisture to your plants while having a plastic barrier to keep walls dry. They come in a large variety of sizes and configurations.

Kits can provide just the raw materials for a framework that you construct yourself or a box with a planting diagram to show you exactly what to do. If you prefer instant gratification, purchase a completed “living picture” shipped with the greenery in place and ready to hang.

Not a kit type? Some inventive do-it-yourselfers eschew boxed solutions, instead turning anything from a discarded hanging pocket shoe organiser, old gutters or a dented teakettle into a vessel fit for wall-mounted plants. Your imagination is the only limit here.

Tips for success

For the highest rates of success with your vertical garden, monitor moisture levels carefully. Because the plants are growing in a minimal amount of soil, they tend to dry out more frequently than those in the ground. Many gardeners install automatic drip watering systems for their walls or choose to display them in protected areas that do not get full sun all day.

Another consideration is plant matching. “You have to make sure they will all do well with the same amount of water,” said Dudley. For example, although both herbs and succulents work equally well on living walls, herbs need a lot of water and succulents need little, and that makes them less compatible.

Growth patterns are also of concern. If you use trailing species, place them near the bottom so as not to shade out and kill what is trying to grow beneath them. Plants that hug the ground or are naturally dwarfed will stay close to the wall and take well to snipping and shearing. For a more attractive look, avoid plants that get leggy or have lots of woody stems showing. Add more interest to your design by taking into account the colors, textures and aromas of your choices. Wanting to reach out and touch or smell your vertical garden elevates the effectiveness of your wall and moves any garden in new directions.

“Whether you live in a flat, townhouse or single-family home with lots of yard,” said Morrison, “we all have vertical spaces just waiting for us to exploit their potential.”

Reduce, reuse, redesign: Home decor gone green

Eco-friendly home furnishings have gone mainstream

We plan to leave the Earth better than how we found it.

— Cameron Cook, spokesperson for Four Hands

Green products are more popular than ever, where the eco-friendly movement has gone from fringe to mainstream. But going green isn't just about the product itself. It entails other aspects, like the manufacturing process and even how far the products are shipped. And it's not just about new. Just as important is reuse -- making your own creations out of things you already have around the house.

Going green

Most homeowners don’t have the luxury of starting anew, but it’s not hard to begin the green journey one step at a time. Updating antique and used furniture with new upholstery or slipcovers made from eco-friendly natural products like cotton, linen and wool provide the most bang for the buck and keep old furniture out of landfills. By using natural fabrics, you create a healthier indoor environment.

Start by covering the walls with no- or low-VOC paint. Replace nylon carpeting with 100 percent natural fibers like wool, sisal or cotton or carpeting made from recycled items. Purchase (or make) curtains from hemp or linen instead of man-made fabrics, and add vintage throw pillows for pop. To ensure an item is green, check for a Forest Stewardship Council FSC label.

Pushing the envelope with "upcycled" packaging

If you order a sustainable product online and it arrives in plastic packaging that will live in landfills for eons, that defeats the purpose of trying to clean up the planet for future generations. Red Clay’s answer was the RC Mailer made from upcycled discontinued fabric samples and scraps from boat covers whose companies found it cheaper to give their excess material away than pay someone to haul it to a landfill.

The design, created by intern Eric Etling, is an attractive silky pouch with a locking zipper on the top. When the package arrives, the customer clips the white braided security tie and unzips the package. On the front is a clear pouch with the addressee’s information. Simply flip it over to find the return label, re-zip the envelope and drop it off at any Post Office. (RC Mailers can also be purchased at redclayhome.com.)

An alternative to returning the envelope to Red Clay is to “pay it forward” by shipping another gift in the mailer. The hope is that it will be passed from person to person, travel the world and eventually make its way back to Red Clay.

Buying new and green

Four Hands has been manufacturing furniture from reclaimed wood since 1996. Today, more than 75 percent of the company’s case goods utilise eco-friendly raw materials, including plantation-grown wood, reclaimed hardwoods and recycled metal.

Used pallets, packing crates, cable reels, bridge beams and torn-down buildings are fashioned into furnishings that fit every decorating style. Even the hardware and fittings are manufactured from recycled metal or brass with Old World detailing. No unused wood goes to waste. The cross section of telephone poles with the holes clearly visible turn ordinary benches into conversation pieces. Tables are made from scrap lumber that would formerly go into landfills.

“Our operations are streamlined online [minimising paperwork], and our factories go to extra lengths to make sure our carbon footprint is minimal,” said Four Hands spokesperson Cameron Cook. Furniture is imported from all over the globe in crates that are generally recycled into furnishings. “We plan to leave the Earth better than how we found it,” said Cook.

Another eco-friendly company, Journey Trading Co., makes “puzzle-piece” side tables in different wood tones fashioned from sustainable mango wood. The pieces can be placed to fit snugly together or separated into individual tables. A chunk of tree trunk found on a forest floor is similarly subdivided to morph into two tables.

Skilled homeowners can re-create both ideas with scrap lumber or the trunks of large trees that have come down during brutal weather (make sure the wood is totally dry). The imperfections and differing characteristics in the wood only make them more unique.

If you’re determined to go green, look for furniture makers who are members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC).

“We use only renewable natural fibers,” said Ibolili spokesman Michael Fisher. “Our furniture made in Indonesia is contemporary and unfettered like the ball-shaped table base with a glass top made from two-tone wood,” said Fisher. “The square cubes are handmade from pieces of wood found on the forest floor.” Chunky polished driftwood tables and bases are suitable indoors and out, and each wicker piece is hand-woven from natural leaves, bark, wood, grass or sisal -- all in natural colours.

Items made from either recycled wood flooring or renewable woods like bamboo play an important role in living green. To cosy it up, choose area rugs made from natural products, like Journey’s 100 percent T-shirt cotton strips.

T-shirt rugs can also be made at home. Choose inexpensive new or old tees and bleach them bright white. Cut into strips and sew rows onto a sturdy natural fiber base like sailcloth.

Another Journey rug with a totally different look and feel is made from recycled strips of woven leather. Though working with leather is best left to the experts, you might be inspired to amass a collection of well-worn belts (minus the buckles) and weave them into a decorative mat.

Green on a budget

When Abigail Kiefer began a quest to find affordable accessories for her home that were neither beige nor burlappy, she thought it would be easy. Not so. The solution: form her own company, Red Clay, dedicated to producing attractive green items that appealed to mass markets.

Her "aha" idea was launching a contest to reach out to emerging artists eager to design decorative items like pillows, wall decor and pottery and see them produced.

“All our products are sourced locally and located near each manufacturing facility,” said Ashley Etling, director of product supply. “We want to make the greatest impact on your living room and the smallest impact on the planet.”

To that end, the company's pillow covers and pillows are made from 100 percent certified organic cotton. The twill covers are grown locally, and the ink in the designs is water based. Furniture-grade picture frames are handmade from FSC Certified wood, with the pictures printed on 100 percent archival quality paper or post-consumer waste paper (recycled newspapers, magazines and junk mail).