Every year the major car manufacturers unveil their latest creations at a series of extravagant car shows around the world. You may recall that a few months ago we supplied a living wall for Jaguar Land Rover for its stand at Geneva. This month the stand – proudly featuring a new green wall – is in France at the Paris Motor Show for two weeks from the first week of October.
You may think a living wall an unlikely backdrop for launching luxury cars. At first glance, perhaps, but the many ecological and environmental advantages of green walls are well documented, and Jaguar Land Rover is rather greener than you might have realised.
It won the BITC Responsible Business of the Year in 2013 and has made a major commitment to reduce the whole life environmental impacts of its range of vehicles as well as its manufacturing and supply chain operations. That’s a bold, firm and admirable statement of intent. Viritopia Group’s green walls illustrate that intent perfectly. And since independent research tells us that rich interior planting such as living walls gives visitors the impression of success, comfort and class, perhaps that’s another reason our unique stand is the perfect complement for perhaps the most iconic British car manufacturer at the show.
The green wall itself, which measures 4.75m wide by 2.5m high, was dismantled in Geneva, and all the plants replanted in the local area. The modules and irrigation have been reassembled in Paris and then restocked with a selection of plant-life chosen for their ability to withstand the interior exhibition environment, with its bright lights, masses of people and air-conditioning. We selected 11 different varieties of plants, including asparagus, asplenium nidus, tradescantia zebrine, guzmania ‘Empire’ and maranta fascinator.
Once the show is over, we’ll be donating the plants to local charities and then the show moves on to its next international destination.