The next time you take a jaunt down Portsmouth’s quaint Commercial alleyway, you might notice a striking addition to the once exclusively brick outer wall of the Cava restaurant. No, it’s not a crop of ivy that spontaneously erupted. 

What it is, however, is a certified gardening revolution. 

On Tuesday Cava began the installation of six “vertical gardens” to scale much of the tapas restaurant’s two-story brick façade.

What is a vertical garden? Pretty much exactly what it sounds like: blocks of irrigated soil turned sideways and mounted on exterior or even interior walls. The technique allows homes, restaurants and other businesses in urban environments to grow greenery – be it herbs or floral assortments – on the premises, and without having to shell out a fortune for traditional grounded plots.

Cava’s six-paneled outdoor display won’t feature any herbs for their wildly popular European bistro cuisine, as the alley-dwelling restaurant simply doesn’t receive enough light to grow basil or oregano. But it does include an impressive and attractive array of hearty greenery tailor made for the Seacoast’s eclectic climate, including tussock grass, burgundy coral bells, and wintergreen.

Lynn Felici-Gallant, editor of recently-launched Seacoast quarterly and GA Business Partner Coastal Home magazine, originally had the idea of running a profile piece on the vertical gardening movement. But she soon realized that, if her magazine’s audience would be interested in merely reading about the phenomenon, why not build one they could see and enjoy? Soliciting the help of South Berwick-based landscape designer Charles Hugo, the team came up with a design concept ideal for the unique, often-dark alley restaurant.

Desigining a “living wall” is one thing; but maintaining it is an entirely different challenge. To help, Felici-Gallant sought out the expertise of Melissa Daniels and Anthony Caggiano of Plant Connection. The New York-based duo had started a company, Gro2, which specialized in patented and customizable vertical gardens. They’ve designed living walls for businesses and private citizens alike all over the country.

Numerous local business owners and volunteers helped put up Cava’s living wall, which was the first of its kind anywhere in New England.

The vertical garden will be launched with a private luncheon on Thursday.

To read more about the veritcal garden revolution, read the two articles by Felici-Gallant in the latest issue of Coastal Home. Just click here!