(started as an update of mine, may deserve a full post)

How about this:
Use regular clay pots for the plants, tie moss/succulents/whateveryoulike to their outside, and do the rest by the book.
The moisture seeping through will feed the ”living pots”, any excess would simply drop below.
Should look nice.

Trygve Henriksen

I’m not certain that the clay will let much nutrients seep through.
(But feel free to try. Would probably look nice if it did work.)

samenrahmen

No worries there – just look at the calcification on older pots.

Trygve Henriksen

Can’t say that I have that many clay pots… A couple of glazed ones(and we know that nothing seeps through on those),

but mostly it’s plastic ’self-watering’ pots… (Only way that I can keep plants alive, it seems… )

samenrahmen

If you hung the pots up in net bags, you’d get free trellisses – the handles.

Hardware Junkie

You should be able to drill through clay pots of your careful enough. Quick google search is giving how to results.

One small hole should be enough to allow nutrients through, and the plants could sit in the clay pot with hydroton

samenrahmen

Or one could use felt around them, with a thick piece hanging down and acting as a wick to guide the water down to the next pot.

Which would eliminate the need for any tubing which might get clogged, and at the same time ensure the moisture supply.

Here’s something made of felt:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karenmackay/sets/72157622612880600/