How To Create a Beautiful Aquarium with a Vertical Garden

Many people like to bring the outdoors indoors by incorporating potted plants and other verdant decorations into a living space. A potted plant or a vase of fresh flowers is probably the lowest level of indoor plant life. The next level above that is a verdant freshwater aquarium with dozens of vibrant plants. But why stop there?

Patrick Blanc, a botanist who’s world-renowned for his work as a hanging garden expert, decided to combine his love of hanging gardens with the beauty of aquariums to create a truly one-of-a-kind office.

His indoor verdant sanctuary is enough to put most outdoor gardens to shame, so you’d be hard-pressed to find an indoor plant-based decoration that comes close to matching Blanc’s verdant sanctuary. The back wall is a massive hanging garden with tropical species of plants that inspired his hanging garden masterpieces. The brilliant botanist covered the top of the wall with light-loving plants that get the most sunlight, while peppering the bottom of the plant wall with moisture-loving plants that don’t need quite as much light. Since water trickles down the wall and keeps the bottom nice and wet, the lower plants can easily flourish.

But Blank didn’t just stop at the living wall. He took his indoor garden to a whole new level by installing a massive freshwater aquarium beneath the living wall to act as the office floor. The freshwater aquarium is a natural complement to the living wall because, unlike saltwater aquariums, freshwater tanks can support a diverse aquatic garden of leafy, green plants.

Altogether, it looks like something you’d see in the Amazon Jungle. The jade-colored fronds arc downward along the wall while frilly aquatic plants sway upward toward the life-giving sun.

Transforming this area into an office space was absolutely brilliant. I honestly can’t imagine getting stressed out when you’ve got a living wall behind you and beautiful freshwater fish happily swimming beneath your feet.

If it were me, I’d probably want to use the space as a living room or entertainment area. I’d constantly be too distracted by the aquascape to focus on my work. For a botanist like Patrick Blanc, I suspect that he’d have a hard time working without any plants around.

Ultimately, it’s up to you which living space you upgrade with a gorgeous aquascape. Would you rather de-stress your office by installing a soothing display, or would rather unwind after a long day at the office by kicking your feet up in a living room equipped with a massive living wall and aquarium?