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Roof-top Garden Design

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Raised Bed Rooftop Garden With Rainwater Harvesting. This is a rooftop garden that was entered in an Apartment Therapy contest.

Raised Bed Rooftop Garden With Rainwater Harvesting

The entry is about a DIY rainwater harvesting system but what caught my eye was the planter box garden. More than likely the planter boxes (raised beds) are watered by drip irrigation or hose watering. You can see a hose in the walk space between the planters. What is little understood in the gardening world is that sub-irrigation is a much better way to irrigate these boxes. There are many books and blogs about top watered raised beds but little about sub-irrigated beds or wicking beds. It appears that the boxes are lined. This method provides the ultimate in even moisture on a consistent basis. One of the goals of the Center for Urban Greenscaping will be to test various systems of sub-irrigation with the goal of finding the most productive and easiest to build.

Sedum Green Roof Sandwich. This is one type of green roof system.

Sedum Green Roof Sandwich

The layers shown in this photo can be used to support a sedum type (extensive) green roof. Be aware that there are other approaches to the green roof "sandwich". Here, a felt wicking layer (white material) sits on top of a moisture retention layer (gray molded cups). Water in these cups is wicked up into a soil layer supporting growth of low water using sedum plants. You might think of this as a form of sub-irrigation.

Low or no-maintenance is the goal of a sedum (extensive) green roof. Most of the green roofs I discuss here on this blog are called intensive green roofs. However, as our education improves and information becomes more widely available, I believe that sub-irrigated boxes, buckets and beds will become the most favored approach. How to Make a Roof Garden. How to Start a Green Roof Garden. Garden-lovers without backyards, go vertical!

How to Start a Green Roof Garden

Such is the cry of a Park Slope resident who recently showed a crowd of New Yorkers (including yours truly) how to start a green roof garden. Since starting a roof garden is a bit more complicated than planting on the ground, he took us step by step through the process, including how to set it up, what to grow, and how to maintain it.A green roof generally means a carpeting of plants on a roof, which improves the energy performance of buildings, and reduces storm water runoff. Though many urban dwellers have flowerpots or container gardens on their roofs, these aren't providing the energy savings that green roofs do.

So Jeff Hens set out to create a vegetable garden that would provide some of those benefits. While his garden far from carpets his roof, it does sit right against the roof membrane, helping to insulate his house, while providing fresh food for his family. Safety First and foremost, you want your garden to be safe. Images: JHBklyn. Roof Garden Design – How To Build A Rooftop Garden. By Heather Rhoades In more urban areas, a gardener is limited in the amount of space that they have.

Roof Garden Design – How To Build A Rooftop Garden

If you find that you are running out of room, or if you want an outdoor living space, then things may be looking up for you, literally. You may want to consider creating a rooftop garden. Rooftop gardens are an ideal way for an urban gardener to expand their space. Rooftop gardens also make good use of frequently unused and wasted space. There are, however, a few things to keep in mind when creating a rooftop garden.

First of all, find out how local ordinances, rental property rules or home owner association regulations view a rooftop garden. Second, get an architect or contractor involved as soon as possible. Third, even if your building can structurally take the extra weight, the weight of your rooftop garden should play a role into your design. 10 Stunning Rooftop Garden Designs - Grandview Landscaping. The stereotypical city is full of concrete, glass, dense populations and no room for growth.

10 Stunning Rooftop Garden Designs - Grandview Landscaping

Although not commonly thought of to be harbingers of greenery and serenity, there is a growing trend to bring green spaces to cities. But to find some of the most fascinating and beautiful areas of greenery, you have to look up. Rooftop gardens are a growing trend in cities across the nation, especially in New York City, because that’s one of the only spaces where there’s actually room to put a garden. While Grandview Landscaping can help transform your yard into a beautiful landscape, here are some of the most stunning rooftop garden designs that will leave you in awe. Rockefeller Center Gardens, New York In New York, on top of one of the most well-known buildings thanks 30 Rock and other great shows is a great garden with spectacular views. City Hall, Chicago Atop Chicago’s City Hall is another magnificent garden. Design from Cook + Fox in New York City Kaiser Center Roof Gardens, Oakland. Rooftop Gardens: Are They a Cool Idea?

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Rooftop Gardens: Are They a Cool Idea?

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