HOW TO PLAN A GARDEN ON THE ROOF

Home » Home and Family » Gardening Join Sign in EzineArticles - Expert Authors Sharing Their Best Original Articles Custom Search Search Christina Sinclair Platinum Quality Author Platinum Author | 25 Articles Joined: April 2, 2015 England How to Plan a Roof Terrace Garden By Christina Sinclair | Submitted On May 01, 2015 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article If you want to grow anything on a roof terrace, it is of paramount importance that you first ask a structural engineer to check that your roof would be able to withstand the extra weight of a garden before you start constructing it. You also need to make sure that your freehold will allow you to have a garden on your roof. You will need to think about access to the garden for people and anything you will need to carry up there like furniture, plants, and of course, water. You may want to run a pipe up to an automatic irrigation system which will save you time in the long run. Before you start creating a garden you must make sure that the roof has adequate water-proofing. Any plants, soil and containers you have will benefit the environment in terms of helping to prevent flash flooding as they absorb water during downpours but you must ensure that any alterations or additions to your roof will not cause damage to your house. Some water-proofing layers such as bitumen and asphalt can be compromised by root penetration so use a pond liner material to protect an existing layer of roofing material. Ideally the protective layer should be in one continuous sheet, but if this is not possible make sure there are good overlaps of 20-30cm. Barriers must keep children safely inside the confines of the terrace. Permeable barriers like trellis are better than solid walls for gardens but can still provide privacy. Solid structures tend to direct wind downwards in a way that can damage plants. Don't choose plants that will grow too tall; plants sold in nurseries often have a maximum height listed on the label. Most roofs will not be able to accommodate large trees because they need so much root space. Height could be created by climbers instead. If you have an existing solid wall that is part of the house incorporated into your garden, you might like to paint it with a colour to act as a good back drop for plants. White will bounce off light, charcoal grey acts as a good foil for green plants with architectural leaves. Oranges and yellows are warm, vibrant colours for a dark corner and greens and blues give a feeling or coolness and tranquillity in the glare of hot sun. Or you could even employ a mural or trompe l'oeil to add interest and a talking point at parties. Everything you choose to place on your roof must be the lightest flooring, containers, furniture and compost you can find. Broken blocks of polystyrene can be used at the bottom of large pots to help drainage. Plastic containers are lighter than terracotta or metal and can be painted to change their appearance and make them look more expensive. Sand can be mixed in with the paint to add texture. Fix down everything that you can. You don't want to lose any loose objects or trellis or cause damage to other property in high winds. You may want to buy a cabinet to lock away valuable tools and any light plastic furniture that might blow away in winter weather. If you want a compost heap, choose a compact, plastic, sealed bin to keep it in. To get any produce from your garden you will need compost deep enough to grow your crops. Some crops like herbs and salad crops don't need much space. You could also have a bee hive on your roof to provide you with honey. If you don't want to use containers, rolls of green roof plants can be laid instead for a very low-maintenance garden. You could use a synthetic grass lawn in a sitting area if you like it. Any planted area will enhance your life and be beneficial to the environment too. Roof gardens can provide a wonderful, restful space for sitting out in when the weather is lovely, especially in urban areas. Christina Sinclair is a lecturer and self-published children's author with qualifications in design. She is now writing 'The Salty Sam Fun Blog for Children' which is to be found on her website. The blog has articles about history, science, nature, gardening and environmental issues. It also has free craft downloads, knitting patterns, easy recipes and other projects for children. Visit it at http://www.christina-sinclair.com/blog/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Christina_Sinclair/2107289 0 Comments | Leave a Comment Did you find this article helpful? 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