Lack of a backyard garden doesn’t have to stop you from the pleasure of gardening. Simply grow a green sanctuary on your rooftop. Urban rooftop gardens are becoming popular green spaces, and are actually just as easy to cultivate as a garden on the ground.
Check the loading capacity
It’s very important that your rooftop can handle the weight your garden will demand of it. You may need to consult a structural engineer to know how much your roof can handle, and where any weak points may be. Also check your building regulations to make sure making a garden on your rooftop is allowed. There may be height or accessibility restrictions you need to know about.
Plan your strategy
Choose what kind of plants you want in your garden. Do you want something pretty or something edible? Something that requires little maintenance or a lot of loving nurturing? Bear in mind that you’re working with minimal space, so you’ll want to plan the layout in advance to maximise your space. Also, you have to decide between different methods of growing your flora. You could theoretically cover your roof with a layer of soil and have plants growing in them like in a traditional garden, but this is a lot more work and expense and would require a high degree of expertise. The simplest is just to grow in containers, or raised beds, or use soil-free methods like hydroponics or aeroponics.
Rooftop conditions
While your plants still need the usual basics – water, sunlight, nutrition – rooftops present their own set of unique challenges to consider. The space can be very exposed to the elements, such as wind and direct sunlight. Can you install wooden fencing or some other kind of barrier to shelter your plant? Or can you stick to hardier plant types that can handle the conditions?
Once you have settled on a method of gardening that won’t be too burdensome on your building structure, planned your layout and accounted for the conditions your garden will face, you can appreciate how at the end of the day the principle is still the same as with any garden.
Then you can put up fencing to partition off sections or for aesthetic effect. Use interesting features like rocks, ponds and sculptures to add character. Add walkways and bridges to make an interesting (albeit short) walking route. And make tranquil seating areas from where you can enjoy your morning tea and survey your green creation.
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