Research Garden DesignBrowse photos, get design ideas & see the hottest plants
Popular in NYC , Los Angeles , Miami , Chicago and other areas , rooftop garden extend a respite from the fast - paced city and can be used for outdoor entertaining or growing vegetables . surf the follow examples to name the theory for your rooftop space .
Photo by : Jeffrey Erb .
A Manhattan - Style Rooftop Garden
Thanks to ingenious fencing , strategically placed plantings , and creative design , this 500 - square - foot rooftop garden has become a welcome retreat from the sting and bustle of city life .
Photo by : Jon Whittle .
Miami Rooftop Magic
loom more than 30 floors above the street , this rooftop overlooks Sailboat Bay and Miami ’s cityscape . The possessor loved the views , but also need her garden infinite to feel secret and protected .
photograph by : Stephen Ironside .
Designing a Luxury Rooftop Terrace
Daniel Keeley , clothes designer of two next rooftop terraces that exemplify urban outdoor live at its finest , shares five considerations for homeowners who would like to transform their rooftop into an outdoor life outer space .
More rooftop garden : Urban Rooftop Garden in PortlandItaly : Green Terrace Roof GardenA Lesson of Beginnings and EndingsVegetable Roof GardenLiza ’s Garden , on the rooftop at the Royal Ontario MuseumUnique Plants in a Rooftop Garden in ManhattanRooftop Living Space in Manhattan
A roof is a very unlike environment from a garden at ground level . In fact , you ’ll probably need to get professional service before getting set out on a task like this .
Benefits of building a rooftop garden:
What makes designing roof gardens different?
First , consider the climateon a roof , which is more severe than on the earth . It ’s often quite verbose in summertime and very sunny and blistering . But if nearby buildings are grandiloquent , the garden can be in shade all day , which is too dark for many flora , or quickly switch from cryptic spook to intense sun .
Never use regular garden soil for a roof garden ; it ’s much too heavy and does n’t hold water well or offer up poor drainage . Use alightweight artificial soiloften called a “ soilless mixing ” in your container .
Plan on build somewooden or grille screenson the windward side of your flora to keep them from developing a permanent inclination . Lattice can also allow some shade , specially for a southern or western photograph .
Rooftop Garden Guide & Checklist
Also installautomatic trickle irrigation . Container works need much more frequent watering than plants in the ground . Sun , heat and fart will compound the water requisite . By midsummer , if not earlier , you would need to hand - water at least once a twenty-four hour period and in very hot conditions , twice a day . That agenda is nearly impossible to asseverate every day all time of year , which is why a dribble system is of the essence .
in conclusion , it is all-important that youget approvalfrom your landlord or building co - op circuit card and the local planning commission . They will probably require that your cap be examined and certified by an engineer or designer , who will stipulate ask changes to the surface of the cap and the system of weights limits for your structures , containers and plants .
Once you get approval , consider hiring a qualified garden designer who specializes in roof garden , especially if you have limited gardening experience .
Rooftop Garden Design Resources
