A cool way to liven up an ugly part of a building is to create drain pipe planters.

These cool drain pipes are found in Seattle  and were created by Buster Simpon. The creation is part of the Growing Vine Street project.

Vine Street is an example of urban greening. It provides a desirable setting for residents while capturing and treating storm water through biofiltration and enhancing the natural habitat. Article Source.

While not quite a vertical garden, this drain pipe leads the way in creativity. The Kunsthofpassage building is located in Dresden (Germany) Article Source.