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Rooftop gardens are a recent trend often due to the lack of green space in metropolitan areas. Rooftop gardening, though, can be difficult. Even the toughest plants may get scorched or dried out by prevailing winds and prolonged exposure.
Roof garden spaces are also among the most difficult places to develop because of weight restrictions, the load-bearing capacity of the roof terrace, safety laws, and the difficulty of carrying materials to the top of the building.
Although creating a beautiful rooftop garden is tricky, when done correctly, it may be even more valuable than a regular backyard.
This article will thoroughly cover 11 modish roof garden ideas and the solutions for common challenges you might face.
Transform your rooftop into an urban oasis with our durable and stylish Fiberglass Planters collection! As you navigate the challenges of rooftop gardening, choose fiberglass planters for their lightweight yet sturdy design, perfect for weight-restricted spaces.
11 Roof Garden Ideas For Comfortable Rooftop Living
1. Install a green roof
One of the most upcoming rooftop garden design ideas is to install a green roof.
A green roof or living roof is a building's roof that is partially or totally covered with plants and a growing medium that is placed on top of a waterproofing membrane. Additional layers, such as a root barrier, drainage, and irrigation systems, might also be included.
Green roofs have been proven to help reduce heat islands, they offer shade, remove heat from the air, and lower surface and surrounding air temperatures. A green roof can help to mitigate the heat island effect in cities and other constructed areas with minimal vegetation, especially during the day.
According to the United State Environmental Protection Agency, green roof temperatures can be 30-40°F lower than traditional roof temperatures, and they can reduce city-wide ambient temperatures by up to 5°F.
Green roofs are an important component of climate-proof buildings. Moreover, individuals are happier in green environments than in drab environments.
2. Create raised beds
Raised beds near the walls are a fantastic choice if your roof deck is large enough. While you can add wooden raised beds and metal raised beds which are common, they can be extremely heavy and degrade quickly, sometimes even leeching chemicals from the rust and rot of the deteriorating planter.
That's why we suggest you use fiberglass planter materials.
Generally, raised beds around 2 x 2 feet can grow most plants from ornamental grasses to small trees. Nurture the plants with regular upkeep, pruning, and root trimming every few years.
For these raised beds, apply a waterproofing membrane and a strong root barrier to avoid root growth that can spread out from the planter and cause roof damage. Another approach is to build slightly elevated raised beds so that the raised beds do not contact the roof terrace surface.
3. Create a green private retreat
If you feel like your rooftop is too exposed and close to other people's buildings, then adding some planters with tall plants or tall shrubs will create luscious privacy in no time.
But not just any planters will do, consider the sizes and shapes as well. If you have a small rooftop space, rectangular planters are highly recommended to create privacy due to their space-saving shape.
Rectangular planters take up less space and butt up beautifully with one another and produce clear and elegant lines.
The Darwin tall rectangular planter is a perfect example of this rooftop garden design, these planter boxes were designed to add seclusion while also beautifying your favorite hangout locations, such as roof terraces, pools, or restaurants.
Learn more about the 6 Amazing Rectangle Planter Ideas To Liven Up Your Property.
4. Create an illusion with depth
Roof gardens are typically tiny in size due to their nature; however, there are tricks that may be used to make a small rooftop garden appear larger. One fairly easy thing to do is to grow tall plants around the perimeter of your roof garden. This will blur the margins of your area and make the boundaries less visible, especially if there is vegetation beyond your roof garden making the illusion that the garden extends beyond the rooftop.
Mirrors provide a sense of depth and look lovely when surrounded by plants in pots, perhaps with a honeysuckle or rose trailing across the glass.
Another smart approach to increasing the space of your roof garden is to use one giant container with a large plant. This is more impressive and orderly than hundreds of little pots scattered about.
If you are not sure about how to choose your container size, check out our article on the Best Plant Pot Sizes | Guide & Planter Size Chart
5. Add a compact outdoor kitchen
An outdoor kitchen may be a valuable addition to any garden, whether it's on the ground floor or 12 floors above.
They provide the perfect party atmosphere, one in which you aren't continually rushing indoors to bring out beverages or caught up in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun outdoors. With an outdoor kitchen, you can be a part of the party as you cook - think of it as an elevated BBQ.
6. An eye-catching statement piece
A focal point can be anything that attracts attention. For example, the roof garden might benefit from a water feature, a tall tree, a beautiful arrangement of container plants, a statue, etc.
Our Brannan round planter is perfect to make a statement on any rooftop terrace due to its distinctive slender shape, which has a circular base and tapers to an extended point at the top. This unpretentious beauty creates an understated whisper of elegance.
Available in 3 different sizes and 20 colors, this unique, and undoubtedly eye-catching, planter works well as a set, or alone as a statement piece.
7. Illuminate lighting
The ideal way for lighting a roof garden relies on the particular requirements of the area. However, there are certain general guidelines that will help you in designing a stunning and useful roof garden lighting system.
First, it's crucial to think about the different purposes of your rooftop space and how light might be used to emphasize those purposes. For instance, accent lighting can create a warm and welcoming ambiance if there is a seating area.
Next, consider the various lighting technologies available. Due to their energy efficiency and durability, LED lights are a fantastic choice for roof gardens. The ease of installation and environmental friendliness of solar lights make them a popular alternative.
Finally, think about how the lighting can affect the overall landscape of the garden. String lights, for instance, can give a whimsical touch, whereas downlights can produce a more dramatic appearance.
8. Turn your rooftop into your outdoor living room
Isn't a fully furnished rooftop the ideal spot for family and friends to enjoy a drink and gossip on a Saturday night?
Before purchasing any furniture, visualize the area as if it were a room inside, and think how you would arrange it – most likely more lavishly than a garden.
While not every design is appropriate for the roof garden, investing in comfortable outdoor furniture and adding accessories such as an outdoor rug, potted plants, a shade structure or umbrella, and lighting will make the garden more attractive.
Ensure you maintain the diversity in the size of the plants. A few large plants such as ornamental grasses, and small trees, ground covers, and annuals can be used to achieve a beautiful landscape texture. By adding a little bit of greenery, you can soften the area slightly and offer some seclusion.
9. Utilize the vertical space
Take advantage of the walls bordering a rooftop terrace to provide support for vines or create a backdrop of outdoor wall art. Using the vertical space of your rooftop is an ideal solution for small spaces.
A rectangle is the best planter shape when creating a vertical plant wall. Use a lattice board or wooden posts to offer lots of support for the plants or hang planters on the walls, use railing planters, and start growing climbers that trail down.
One of JBD Concepts' favorite rectangle planters for wallmounting is the famous Nile wall planter. With a width of about 5", these planters are ideal low-profile accents to indoor or outdoor vertical settings. The planters' bottoms are entirely finished, allowing them to be positioned high on the wall creating a clean aesthetic.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the Nile wall planter sizes and finishes.
10. Proper rooftop flooring
Don't avoid the flooring. Choose a flooring type that fits your budget, your environment, and the theme of your rooftop garden.
A good rooftop flooring will help protect your roof from weather and UV damage, and punctures to the single-ply rubber membrane that is meant to protect the roof from leaks and water damage.
Common hardwood decking materials outperform other decking materials in longevity and durability and include Ipe, Cumaru, Garapa, Jatoba, and Machiche.
For a lovely rooftop garden aesthetic with more ambiance and warmth, you could even use artificial grass on top of the rooftop flooring.
11. Rooftop gardening with fiberglass planters
Containers are where you can express your style in a rooftop garden, but that's not to say you need to spend a fortune on them—although you easily could.
Besides aesthetics, there are two things to keep in mind when choosing your rooftop container: weight and material.
You will need containers large enough for the roots of whatever plants you choose, but the weight of the container becomes an issue if you are worried about how much your rooftop can support.
Remember, containers get even heavier when you water the plants. Traditional materials such as clay, terra cotta, and cement can get quite heavy. Plastic pots and the newer synthetic containers are light enough to lift, but degrade quickly in outdoor conditions.
On the other hand, a tall or top-heavy plant, like a small tree or a tomato plant full of ripening fruits, will topple over in a small lightweight pot. If your rooftop garden is windy, heavier containers are a must.
For all those reasons, planters made out of fiberglass are the best solution for a rooftop garden:
- Fiberglass planters are remarkably light. This allows you to move them around on the roof easily.
- They are also weatherproof. While plastic pots dry and crack, metal planters rust, and wooden containers splinter, fiberglass pots, and planters are tough enough to withstand the elements.
- Furthermore, UV exposure will not damage these extra-durable planters. This allows you to use colorful planters to add style to your roof terrace without worrying about the color or finish disappearing.
- Another reason why fiberglass planters are recommended is that they’re affordable.
Learn more about the 5 Fiberglass Planter Benefits That Landscapers Cannot Miss!
FAQs About rooftop Garden Ideas
Do you need planning permission for a roof garden?
Because a roof terrace does not come under your approved development rights, you will need to submit a full planning application.
Your neighbors may be the most difficult challenge to overcome during the planning process. Many local authorities will be leery of issuing permission if you own property nearby or reside in densely populated urban areas. This makes them difficult to secure in locations like Los Angeles and New York.
But don't give up hope. It is not impossible to obtain approval simply because it can be difficult. Having a professional architect oversee both your designs and application will make a world of difference since there are numerous architectural techniques they can use to minimize overshadowing and noise concerns.
What are the disadvantages of these rooftop garden design ideas?
Rooftop gardens are both lovely and occasionally troublesome. These are the typical issues that a gardener with a rooftop garden could encounter:
- Water accessibility and drainage issues
- Ways to carry gardening materials to the roof
- Storage
- Your plants will be exposed to more severe weather
- Privacy
- Issues with the roof's structure
One of the best solutions for these shortcomings is to use any planter material that is lightweight, durable, weather-resistant, and aesthetic at the same time. It might sound too good to be true but fiberglass planter ticks all the boxes!
Discover the Ideal Solution for Rooftop Gardening: Fiberglass Planters Collection
Elevate your rooftop garden game to new heights with our top-notch Fiberglass Planters collection! As you've explored the challenges and innovative ideas for rooftop gardening in this comprehensive article, it's time to take action and bring your vision to life.
Why choose fiberglass planters? They offer the perfect blend of lightweight durability, weather resistance, and style. Designed to thrive in weight-restricted spaces, fiberglass planters are the ultimate solution for your rooftop oasis.
Don't let challenges hold you back! Experience perfection in every planter from JBD Concepts, designed to transform any space. Secure your investment with a 3-year warranty. Explore our Fiberglass Planters Collection today and revamp your rooftop!
