About
Lively Elements designs unique gardens for diverse environments. Our vision is to help create and promote more balanced, healthy living environments by utilizing unique garden spaces that are often overlooked, whether it is vertical, traditional, on a roof, or in containers.
The name Lively Elements was chosen to represent a balance of elements from living and non-living materials that come together to create a garden. Once a space has been transformed by designing in plants it becomes lively, energizing and can reduce anxiety by also being a tranquil place to retreat.
Lively Elements was launched in January 2009. The inspiration for the business started in 2007, while the owner and designer, Heather Baltrush was studying for the LEED AP exam (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional). Heather came across an article about a vertical living biowall project in Canada that earned extra LEED points with innovative design for indoor environmental quality. A biowall is an indoor vertical garden that acts as a natural air filtration system.
Indoor and outdoor air quality can be improved by designing in living plants that naturally clean the air. There are many pioneers in the vertical garden and living wall industry throughout the world, but there are very few living walls in America. Heather studied vertical gardens and after a year of research built several successful vertical garden prototypes. Now through Lively Elements, she designs vertical gardens as works of art that allow the plants to showcase their beauty and benefits.
Heather is an avid gardener and spends as much time as she can outdoors. Helping new gardeners and volunteering for sustainable and outdoor causes is a big part of her life, so she decided to apply and become a volunteer Colorado Master Gardener (CMG). CMGs complete intensive courses studying all aspects of plants and then volunteer to help spread knowledge-based research to the community to help foster successful gardens.
Lively Elements strives to use sustainable and recyclable materials for projects when possible. As a past member of the Boulder Green Building Guild (BGBG) Lively Elements supports promoting healthier, resource-efficient homes and workplaces.
Lively Elements is also a business member of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), to help advocate the importance of following good green roof guidelines for designs and installations. Green roofs and vertical gardens are both unique ways to help replace green spaces that have been lost to buildings.
Lively Elements envisions more unique gardens being designed into our living and working spaces and looks forward to making your garden dreams a reality.