Over the years I have created many rooftop gardens for clients living in urban settings in London, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. I am always keen to make sure that the end-result fulfils its potential by adding another dimension of beautiful green space to the client’s property – which may serve as a quiet retreat (from the busy family home) and/or a place to entertain friends and family too. The specific benefits of a lovely rooftop garden are many and varied, including:
- Improving the home’s appearance and enhancing property value
- Reducing air pollution, storm water run-off, flooding and water pollution
- Improving and increasing the green living space at home without additional land costs
- Opportunity to use the space for food production, vegetable gardening etc
- Attracting wildlife to an otherwise barren space
Of course, every location is different but it is possible to generalise a little and – based on experience – here are my top design tips for creating a beautiful rooftop garden:
- Makes sure you have good screening from the prevailing wind. Glass screens can be a good way to do this without obstructing the view. Remember though that solid barriers can create wind turbulence, consider using strong grasses as well.
- Choose plants that are known to grow well at the seaside as they will probably endure the exposure well (but remember they may be less frost tolerant)
- Don’t be afraid to have wide borders so you can still feel surrounded by planting. If space allows small trees such as Amalanchier can be great for adding atmosphere and attracting wildlife.
- Consult a structural engineer to ascertain the load bearing capacity of your roof space.
If your home property is suitable for a rooftop garden, why not give it some thought? If you are in North London or the South-East we would be pleased to help you to think this through – give us a call on 01442 832666 or email me directly at james@thegardenco.co.uk