Commemorating the birth of its creator, #InternationalGreenWallDay takes place on 15 February. It’s when the industry comes together to celebrate the accomplishments and potential that living walls can present.

Invented in 1938 by landscape architect, Stanley Hart White, the living wall continues to be an evolving feature throughout the urban environments.

What was originally a simple prototype for “botanical bricks” was later patented as vegetation-bearing architectonic structures and used for vertical planting throughout Hart White’s personal garden.

However, it wasn’t until the late 80s when French botanist, Patrick Blanc, helped these ideas to become a reality. Completed in 2004, green walls cover the Quai Branly Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris, France and remains an iconic landmark within the city.

A pioneer in his field, Hart White kickstarted the movement that 86 years later is now one of the industry’s leading methods of increasing biodiversity and reducing the impact of climate change in urban environments.