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Roof Top Gardens

Building a roof top garden

As space became a commodity in highly urbanized areas during the mid 20^th century, a move to build a house in the suburbs became the ideal for new couples and young families. Commuting to and from work was alright then. Petrol price was affordable, traffic was bearable. Today, but rising cost of fuel and the traffic congestions are two major reasons why the Gen X and Y are choosing to stay and live in the city where they work.  Thus, high rise condominiums were built left and right. Condominium living became the new "suburbs".

Housing trends in the late 20th century geared more toward the vertical than the horizontal. Living in the city has its benefits but the fast paced living and working demand a space or place for relaxation. What better way to relax and unwind than having your very own garden? There is less space in urban areas therefore there is also less space to grow a garden. More and more urbanites are opting to build their gardens up. Literally.  Roof top gardening is the new way to go.

Benefits of building a roof top garden

Aside from helping you de-stress, and make your roof aesthetically pleasing to the senses, a roof top garden has the following other benefits.

• You gain access to a private green space at work or at home in the urban environment.
• The roof top garden can be a means of  supporting  urban food production.
• It can pave the way to encourage community, individual and  cultural variety
• It can improve the quality of air thereby reducing CO2 emissions.
• It can hinder stormwater runoff.
• It can help increase the habitat for birds.
• The roof top garden can help insulate structures.
• It can increase the value of buildings for both the owners and tenants.

You can practically "green" any roof surface. In Switzerland a law has been passed that every new building erected should be designed to move the green space covered by the building's footprint up in the roof.

Before you start with your project you need to know the local building codes relating to roof top gardens, the building's regulations or the homeowner's association ruling when planning on building a roof top garden. Second, you need to have the roof assessed by an architect or an engineer to see the structural strength of the roof itself. As most urban buildings have flat concrete roofing then structural stability might not pose as a problem.  Note that if you plan to put soil and plant grass, consider the fact that wet soil can weigh as much as 80 pounds per square foot.

It is best to stick to lightweight materials so as not to put unnecessary extra load on the structure. Use fibreglass, plastics and light wood planks for your roof top garden. Avoid or minimize the use of heavy materials like concrete, bricks and tiles.

What are your options for a roof top garden? Picture what you want. Do you want to put up a small flowering garden or a nice green house for exotic orchids? Do you want a garden for herbs and spices or a garden for growing tomatoes and lettuce?   What are the basics to do in putting up a roof top garden?

What is the allotted area for your garden?

 

Measure the space that is available for your roof top garden. Don't be limited in terms of shapes.  The more irregular the shape of the garden, the more interesting it will be. Make sure your there is a water source for your garden. If there is none, make provisions. It would not do you good if you have to lug water up and down the stairs just so you can water your plants. The roof top is sure to have a drainage provision so make sure your garden is near one.

What kind of garden do you want?  

If it's a green house you want, then better make inquiries with your local building regulations office if you need a permit. Most conservatories do not need permits to get build though. In case you want a raised garden on wood planks, frame the area, nail in joists aptly spaced then nail in 100 mm or 150mm treated wood planks as flooring. If your garden is irregularly shaped, match the direction of the framing when nailing the planks. The planks can go horizontal, vertical or diagonal when the outer framing is used as reference.

If you want a simple garden with raised areas for planters and isolated areas for grass, then better choose lightweight potting soil. If the garden is to be used at night, then better make provisions for interesting light play. You can help save on energy cost by using solar-powered lights in your rooftop garden.

Choose the plants for your roof top garden.

Assess the amount of sunlight that your roof top garden is bound to receive. If the roof top will get a fair amount of sunlight on a daily basis, then you should choose plants that are tolerant to the sun. Remember that a roof top garden can get hotter than a ground garden. If the roof of the building is shaded most of the day, choose the appropriate plants too. Consider the fact that your roof top garden will be more exposed to the elements, especially the wind. You need to integrate windbreaks to your roof top garden such as lattice work or trellises. A wooden trellis would be a nice touch to your roof top garden. You can hang plants on the trellis and maybe incorporate a small pool of ready-built fountain near it.  Have seats available in cosy nooks and niches of the roof top garden.

The scent of flowers, the greens and the trickling of water is enough to take away your stress.

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