Lillian Connors Having a little garden you can call your own is an amazing idea, you must admit. Unfortunately, no matter how much we enjoy gardening, our creativity and wishes are usually limited by little space. But that doesn’t mean you should simply give up on your dreams. If you have always wanted to have a gorgeous garden, you just need to be willing enough to find proper place for it. One of the most amazing ways to do that is to design your own rooftop garden.
Rooftop gardens are a functional and creative solution for every urban dweller. Thanks to them, you won’t have to waste your already little private space, and at the same time, you will achieve a real, vibrant outdoor surroundings. Apart from being space-savers, these gardens also provide the entire building with additional insulation, absorb rain and contribute to aesthetical value by filling usually empty and unnoticed roofs. Creating a rooftop garden is simpler that it seems. However, before you embark on such endeavor, you need to get informed about everything you’re supposed to do. Here are some things you should keep in mind.
Mind gardening laws and ordinances
Before you start designing your rooftop garden, you should get informed about your local gardening laws and ordinances. Believe it or not, some gardening regulations simply forbid rooftop gardens or require special conditions for their creation. For example, there are some ordinances considering special watering requirements, the height of your fence, the length of grass, and so on. Therefore, before you spend both your time and money, you need to make sure whether you’re allowed to set up a garden on your building’s roof.
Hire an architect
Before you create your rooftop garden, you need to check whether your building is designed to withstand the additional weight or not. For instance, many buildings aren’t safe for adding rooftop gardens, while the other ones might bear only limited weight. That’s why you need to hire an architect who will do all the researches necessary and inform you about the weight your building can take.
Use as little weight as possible
Even if your building can withstand the additional weight, you are supposed to use as little weight as possible. For example, instead of paving the area, you could simply look for amazing container gardening tips. Plastic, fiberglass or foam planting containers are easy to maintain, and most importantly, they’re really light. You could also consider using lightweight soilless potting mix instead of ordinary garden dirt.
Install windbreaks
When creating a rooftop garden, you shouldn’t forget about installing a windbreak for such places are usually very windy. That’s why you need to protect your plants by installing a windbreak. There are numerous amazing ways to do that, but most effective one is installing the windbreaks that slow down the wind circulation, rater that completely stopping it. Another amazing solution for a windswept area is growing wind-tolerant and low-maintenance plants that can survive harsh rooftop conditions, during both summer and winter.
Water your garden properly
You should also take the watering of your roof garden into consideration. Firstly, you need to learn how to water plants in containers properly. Secondly, you need to decide how you’re going to do that. If you want to maintain your plants with ease, without carrying extremely heavy buckets and bottles every time you need to water your garden, you should definitely consider having an automatic water system added.
Eventually, creating a gorgeous rooftop garden is pretty simple if you are willing enough to make such idea come true. All you have to do is to get informed ahead of time, come up with numerous possible solutions and get started. Unleash the inner enthusiast in yourself and begin the trip to the world of amazing rooftop gardening ideas. Enjoy!
