Façade greening: systems and plants
Greening a façade creates considerable added value for people, animals and the environment. Here you can find out which systems and plants are suitable for a green façade.
21.11.2025
Overview: Façade greening
- Green façades create added value for the home and environment
- Systems can be ground-based, wall-mounted or indirect
- Climbing plants and the extent of the façade greenery determine the type and construction of the climbing support
- Self-clinging climbers, espalier trees and climbing plants are suitable for façade greening
- Find out about local promotional offers to save costs for façade greening
The advantages of façade greening can be quickly demonstrated. Besides additional, natural insulation for your house, a green façade is also a habitat for birds and insects, improves the climate and absorbs urban noise.
In principle, all façades that are solidly built, can bear additional weight and whose outer shell is intact can be greened. When choosing plants, make sure they can grow well on your façade and are suitable for your façade.
It is difficult to give a general answer to the costs of façade greening. You can work on 15 to 35 euros per square metre of façade greening for ground-based systems and around 400 euros for wall-mounted systems with a sophisticated watering system.
A variety of plants are suitable for façade greening. Both self-clinging climbers, such as ivy or wild grape, as well as espalier fruit and climbing plants, such as honeysuckle and Dutchman's pipe, are suitable for greening façades.
No, wild grape is not harmful to the walls of a house. However, if you choose to grow wild grape on your façade, you should take the necessary care to ensure that it cannot cause structural damage.
Façade greening: benefits and drawbacks
A green façade promises many benefits that go beyond the visual aspect.
When you green your façade, you also give your home additional, natural insulation that protects against heat in summer and cold in winter and also protects your façade from environmental influences such as heavy rain and UV radiation.
And you also do something good for nature with a green façade. The plants of a greened façade not only improve the air and climate, but also offer important habitats for birds and insects.
A further positive effect of green façades is evident in cities: they become quieter, as the façade greenery partially absorbs the sound waves of urban noise instead of reflecting them.
On the other hand, the disadvantages of façade greening can be perceived as the effort required to maintain and water as well as the remaining plant residues on the façade. However, both can already be taken into account during the planning stage and avoided with appropriate systems for façade greening.
Improper façade greening and inadequate maintenance can cause structural damage – for example, if roots penetrate into the masonry and crack the plaster in frosty conditions. However, with the right care, you can take preventative action to ensure your building fabric remains intact.
Façade greening systems
A green façade can be individually planned and implemented. Various systems are available for this, which are differentiated as follows:
Façade greening offers a lot of design freedom.
Ground-based façade greening
Ground-based systems for façade greening are systems in which the plants take root in the soil and grow upward on the façade. Such façade greening systems are ideally suited to greening a façade both partially and completely.
Ground-based façade greening also requires little watering effort compared to wall-mounted systems, as you can supply the plants with water and fertiliser at ground level.
The plants take root in the soil and grow upward.
Wall-mounted façade greening
If ground-based façade greening is not an option, you can also green your façade with wall-mounted systems. In these systems, the plants do not grow in the soil, but in planters that stand on the ground or are attached to the wall.
Such systems are also known as vertical gardens and are suitable if you only want to green a part of your façade, for example from the first floor up, or if the ground in front of your house is sealed.
In contrast to ground-based façade greening, this system requires more maintenance, as the plants in the individual planters must be watered and fertilised separately on a regular basis.
The plants grow in planters in front of the wall of the house.
Indirect façade greening
Instead of a vertical façade greening, plants and trees in front of your house green the façade indirectly with this system. If the necessary space is available, you can create a green view of your home by designing your front garden accordingly.
With this system, the façade itself remains free of plants and is not greened directly, but indirectly by trees, shrubs and bushes growing in front of it.
Climbing supports for green façades
The climbing supports you can use for this are just as individual as your personal idea of ideal façade greening. As an ideal support for green façades, rope systems can be used depending on the selected plants and the size of your planned façade greening.
Rope systems visually fade into the background when the façade is greened. The thin wire ropes can be flexibly tensioned and are suitable for a wide range of climbing plants and creepers. With rope systems for façade greening, for example, you can precisely specify the shape of the shrubs or provide the necessary fall protection in the case of self-clinging climbers. You can either put together rope systems yourself or use ready-made kits for your project.
A DIY climbing support enhances any façade.
DIY climbing supports
Would you like to get to work yourself and give your façade a personal touch with a DIY climbing support? Find out exactly how to proceed and which materials you need in detail in our “DIY climbing supports” guide.
suitable plants
Which plants are suitable for façade greening without causing damage and what should you look for when choosing your plants? We present the most popular plants for façade greenery.
Self-clinging climbers
Self-clinging climbers often only need climbing supports to protect them from falling if they get too heavy. They use tendrils to fulfil their main task, i.e. growing upwards on your façade. This is how self-clinging climbers hold onto the façade. It is therefore important to have an intact façade solid enough to carry the extra weight.
In addition, self-clinging climbers are only recommended for façade greening if they will remain for the long-term, as residues from their adhesive discs and roots are left behind when the plants are removed. Classic examples of self-clinging climbers are wild grape, ivy and climbing hydrangeas.
| Type | Location and characteristics | Design | Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston ivy “Veitchii” | For partially shaded to fully sunny locations, Planting distance 2.5 to 5 metres, Climbs up almost any surface, Suitable for full greening, Growth height over 20 metres, Bee pasture, Bird feed | Generally not required, Rope systems for fall protection are recommended in windy locations | Multiple trims required in the summer, Leaf disposal from October |
| Ivy | For partially shaded to fully sunny locations, Planting distance 2 to 8 metres, Suitable for full greening, Growth height up to 20 metres, Bee pasture, Bird feed | Rope systems for fall protection are recommended from a height of 6 metres | Frequent trims to curb growth |
| Climbing hydrangeas | For sunny to partially shaded locations, Planting distance 1.5 to 4 metres, Growth height approx. 6 metres | Climbing support required for guiding the stem and for fall protection | Regular watering, Trim in spring to promote branching |
Climbing plants
Unlike self-clinging climbing plants, climbing plants do not have their own adhesive organs. They are therefore dependent on climbing supports and can be removed more easily if necessary. Climbing roses, wisteria, clematis and hops are ideal for greening along a façade on a climbing support.
However, when making your choice, take into account the climbing habits of the respective plant. While climbing roses are spreading climbers and require horizontal climbing supports, vertical climbing supports are required for creepers such as wisteria. Rope systems are best suited for façade greening. Clematis, on the other hand, climbs best along a trellis.
| Type | Location and characteristics | Design | Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisteria | For sunny locations, Growth height up to 20 metres, Planting distance 3 to 8 metres, Vigorous creeper, Toxic | Stable, linear climbing support recommended, Rope system required, A 2-metre clearance is required in all directions from lightning rods, downpipes and gutters | Regular trimming required all year round, Very rapid leaf growth, Leaf disposal from November |
| Old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba) | For shaded to sunny location, Strong growth up to 12 metres, Planting distance 3 to 5 metres, Heat- and drought-tolerant | Stable trellis recommended | Severe pruning towards the end of the year, Leaf disposal from October |
| Honeysuckle | For semi-shaded to sunny locations, Medium growth up to 12 metres, Planting distance 3 to 5 metres, Evergreen | Stable climbing support required, versatile shapes possible | Thinning out in the spring encourages branching, Regular watering |
| Dutchman's pipe | For shaded to fully sunny locations, Growth height up to 20 metres, Suitable for high greening, Planting distance 1 to 2.5 metres | Stable climbing support with vertical alignment required | Thin out every 2 years, Leaf disposal from November, Regular watering required |
Espalier trees
Espalier trees are ideal as façade greening. However, which fruit can grow well on your façade depends on which direction the façade is facing.
If you want to green the southern side of your house, you will do well with grape, peach, pear and apricot.
You can also plant these espalier trees on the east and west sides. In addition, apple and sour cherry are just as good here as espalier roses.
On the northern side, on the other hand, you should only use the sour cherry as an espalier tree for façade greening.
| Type | Location and characteristics | Design | Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | West side, Up to 6 x 3 metres of espalier surface, Select multiple resistant types | Robust climbing support with variety-dependent growth trellis required | Correct cutting is important, Bending and binding required for topiary fruit trees, Ensure good water supply |
| Apricot | Location on the east, west or south side, Protected against frost and excessive rainwater | Robust fan-shaped climbing support required | Correct cutting is important, Bending and binding required for topiary fruit trees, Water after flowering, Only fertilise moderately |
| Pear | Location on the east, west or south side, Special espalier pear variety with double graft ensures fertilisation | Robust climbing support with horizontal levels or in fan shape required | Variety-specific cutting required, bending and binding for topiary fruit trees |
| Peach | For fully sunny location, Select graft type according to soil conditions | Robust climbing support with wall clearance for rear ventilation and free fan shape recommended | Correct cut required, High water requirement for fruit development |
| Sour cherry | Low location requirements, Suitable for north side | Robust climbing support recommended | Annual shoot removal, Thin out every 5 to 8 years after harvest |
Costs
Varying costs, depending on the type and scope of your façade greening, will apply if you want to green your façade. Wall-mounted systems often require a sophisticated watering system. You can expect to pay around 400 euros per square metre of greened façade here.
Ground-based façade greenery only costs a fraction of this because the plant can be watered much more easily. Depending on the type of plants and climbing support, this will cost around 15 to 35 euros per square metre of façade greening.
However, in many cases you may not have to bear all the costs for façade greening yourself, because more and more municipalities are promoting green façades. You should therefore check with the relevant bodies in advance to find out whether you can receive any funding for your façade greening.
