This project describes the successful implementation of an outdoor vertical garden, incorporating an experimental section for plant species testing, at the Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering of Ciudad Real (ETSIA-CR), University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM). Designed as a teaching innovation initiative, it serves as a small-scale engineering project aimed at exploring and understanding this type of infrastructure, assessing the adaptability of various plant species to outdoor vertical gardening, optimizing irrigation and fertigation strategies, and evaluating its impact on urban sustainability and biodiversity.

The vertical gardens provide students in the Agricultural and Agri-Food Engineering degree program with hands-on experience, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge from multiple disciplines. These include species selection, the integration of native plants, system design and sizing, irrigation and fertigation management, and pest and disease control. Working with a real installation helps students acquire applied competencies essential for sustainable landscape management and agricultural engineering practice.

A key challenge of the project has been identifying plant species capable of thriving in the extreme climate of Ciudad Real, characterized by very hot and dry summers with intense solar radiation and cold winters, while maintaining minimal water requirements. To address this, in the experimental section of the vertical garden, comparative studies on the response of different species to varying irrigation regimes.

Beyond its scientific and environmental impact, the vertical garden has enhanced campus biodiversity by attracting pollinators and fostering ecological interactions. Additionally, it has become a dynamic space within the ETSIA, serving as a gathering point for students and hosting academic and outreach activities that promote awareness of green infrastructure benefits.

The results obtained have exceeded initial expectations. The vertical garden has not only improved the aesthetic and environmental quality of the university campus but has also proven to be a valuable experimental platform that can serve as a reference and guide for vertical gardens in the region. Furthermore, the findings from this initiative contribute to advancing nature-based solutions for enhancing urban resilience to climate variability.

Keywords: Green wall, vertical garden, climate resilience, urban greening, hydroponic green wall.