Subterranean Oasis: turn your window well into a garden view
Florafelt Pockets living wall by Plants On Walls for a Palo Alto home.
For many homeowners, the basement window is a source of necessary light but a source of aesthetic dread. The view usually consists of a corrugated metal semi-circle or a stark, gray concrete wall, often decorated with nothing more than cobwebs and accumulated leaves. It is a view that reminds you that you are underground.
But with a shift in perspective—and the right vertical gardening system—that cold industrial shaft can be transformed into a vibrant, living tableau.
The Vertical Solution
Florafelt Pockets living wall by Plants On Walls for a Palo Alto home.
The challenge of a window well is floor space; there usually isn’t enough soil or room to plant a traditional garden. The solution is to utilize the vertical surface directly opposite the glass. By installing a living wall system, you effectively turn your window into a frame for a lush, green painting.
Why Florafelt?
For this specific application, rigid plastic containers often feel too bulky and can break the illusion of a natural wall. This is where Florafelt plant pockets shine.
Florafelt is a textile-based system derived from recycled plastic water bottles. Because it is soft-sided and breathable, it offers distinct advantages for a window well:
Seamless Lushness: The felt pockets allow roots to breathe and grow into the felt itself. Over time, the foliage hides the pockets entirely, creating the illusion that plants are growing directly out of the wall.
Moisture Management: In a window well, drainage is key. Florafelt wicks water effectively, ensuring that plants at the bottom aren't drowned while the top dries out.
Insulation: The thick felt adds a layer of insulation to the concrete, protecting root systems from the harsh freeze-thaw cycles often found in subterranean wells.
Creating the View
Florafelt Pockets living wall by Plants On Walls for a Palo Alto home.
The transformation from "concrete pit" to "secret garden" changes the entire atmosphere of the basement room.
Instead of looking out at gray cement, you look out at a cascading wall of texture and color. Because window wells typically receive limited direct sunlight, they are the perfect environment for a woodland shade palette:
Ferns: For soft, feathery texture and movement.
Heuchera (Coral Bells): To add splashes of purple, lime, and rust colors.
Hostas: For broad, architectural leaves.
English Ivy: For trailing greenery that fills in the gaps.
The Result
The psychological effect of a window well garden is profound. It brings nature to eye level. During the day, sunlight filters through the leaves, casting green-tinted, dappled light into the room. At night, a simple uplight installed at the base of the well can illuminate the foliage, turning the window into a glowing, dramatic focal point.
Learn how at https://Florafelt.com