plant walls: tradition meets modern living in our sunniest room

When I was a child, my grandmother’s garden was her pride—a patchwork of roses and tomatoes under the open sky. Now, in my own home, things look different. Our front room, the only space blessed with gentle sunlight, has become the heart of our indoor garden. We built a living plant wall, a vertical oasis that climbs up beside family photos and old armchairs. Sometimes, I wonder what my grandmother would think. Would she see this as a betrayal of tradition, or a clever adaptation to modern life? She believed in dirt under her nails and the rhythm of the seasons. But today, with unpredictable weather and shrinking yards, many of us are turning to new ways—growing up instead of out. Neighbors drop by, some admiring the lush green wall, others shaking their heads. "Plants belong outside," one says, recalling the old days when lawns were for kids and gardens for food. But I see healing in these leaves, especially during long winters when the world outside is gray. My grandchildren water the wall with me, learning about roots and resilience in a way that feels both old and new. Yet, there’s tension. The HOA frowns on wild front yards, but says nothing about what we do inside. Some friends argue that indoor plants waste water or invite pests, while others see them as a lifeline for city dwellers craving nature. I find myself caught between nostalgia and necessity, tradition and innovation, always searching for balance in the shifting light of our front room. #plantwall #indoorgardening #familytradition #Gardening