The roof of a house or building is a space that is generally wasted, but in many cases, it is used to enjoy it and appreciate the landscape that surrounds us.

On a roof, the view is better and things are glimpsed in a different way. A roof terrace is an excellent option to give the space a new use and create a cozy and relaxing stay for the family.

But another wonderful option, and which we will talk about this time, is to create a roof garden. Have you heard the concepts of ecological ceilings, green roofs, green roofs? This is what we will deal with on this occasion: the design of rooftop gardens, green roofs, and ecological and sustainable roofs.

If you have the plan to build a roof garden, green terrace, or put vegetation on the roof of your house, do not forget to contact the professionals in gardening, and if your project is more ambitious, the landscape architects can help you. Go on and get inspired.

Rooftop Gardens, What Are They?

Green roofs imply an alternative use of a commonly overlooked place: the rooftop or roof of the house. A green roof is one that has vegetation and that can also be used as a rest and coexistence area. According to its uses and the management of the vegetation, a green roof can be:

– A simple roof terrace decorated with plants, or a terrace with vegetation, ideal for living, playing, and chatting, where the vegetation fulfills an ornamental function.

– A roof garden, which involves a little more work and design. In this case, a landscaping and vegetation design is carried out on the surface of the roof, considering places for pots, ponds, bowls for trees, and a suitable irrigation and drainage system for the site.

– Ecological roofs or green roofs, are those covered by vegetation in order to isolate and refresh the interior of the house, avoiding overheating of the roof, at the same time that they take advantage of alternative space to purify the air and clean the environment, through adequate vegetation such as shrubs, grass, and trees, avoiding as much as possible the emission of pollutants into the environment.

Rooftop Gardens

Speaking of ecological and sustainable systems, there is also the option of using the roof as a garden, adapting it to install bowls and special soil, a place to handle compost, irrigation and drainage systems, and areas to harvest.

The vegetation, in this case, consists of vegetables, fruit trees, and aromatic and medicinal herbs.

It is very important that the roof has the necessary structure for this, since the earth, water, and vegetation, in general, constitute strong weights that not just any foundation and structure can resist.

How To Install A Roof Garden?

The requirements for installing a rooftop garden, from placing flower pots to having an organic garden, are basically the same:

– A special waterproofing system: the roof must be perfectly sealed to avoid any type of leakage to the structure of the building.

– Drainage system, either by slope or with gutters to collect water and reuse it if possible. It should not be left accumulated to avoid extra weights in the structure or possible leaks in the waterproofing system.

– An anti-root barrier for larger shrubs and trees, considering the height of the bowls and the land to be used. Allowing the roots to grow too large can damage the structure of the house.

– The land to use depends on the vegetation you are going to place, it is not the same material for desert plants or a succulent garden as for aromatic herbs or an organic garden. Consider that point, in addition to the amount of water each plant requires.

Rooftop Garden Ideas

The vegetation on a roof can indicate the use or uses that are given to it. Therefore, a good design is essential, whether for a garden, to separate areas of plants, or to place pots and benches. Here we are going to share different uses of rooftop greenery or ideas to create a rooftop garden. Take note:

– For a terrace with benches, pots or bowls can be built on the perimeter of the space to delimit, for this, stone, brick, or concrete are ideal.

– You can include flowerpots or planters inside the roof to define areas, assign trails, and separate activities. Fiberglass pots are ideal for this due to their multiple designs and lightweight.

Rustic Roof Garden

– A rustic terrace for desert areas will look great if you install pots and wooden boxes with palms, earth lilies, or bougainvilleas to define the perimeter. This, in addition to working as a protector, beautifies the views of the landscape.

Traditional Roof Garden

If there is a large old tree in your house, it will be the perfect ally for the views from the roof. If it is close to the building, place pots on the perimeter closest to it, and hang small pots with flowers from its branches, taking advantage of the shade and embellishing the views.

Modern Rooftop Garden

The perimeter pots with floral vegetation define better if, behind the flowers, lilies, swords of St. George or palm trees are planted.

Minimalist Rooftop Garden

Foxtails are perfect for perimeter roof planters, due to their light color and the lightness of their leaves and flowers.

Roof Garden With Concrete Furniture

A roof terrace can also combine gardening with furniture design, such as this concrete bench that transforms into planters, delimiting a space to chat and hang out.

The Vertical Gardens On The Rooftops

An exceptional option for terraces is vertical gardens, for several advantages:

-They help to delimit zones or protect from areas that need to be concealed, such as the corner of the controls or gas installations, the washing service, or the loading center.

-They can obstruct unpleasant views, towards areas of the landscape that are not attractive such as neighboring houses, neglected buildings, or desolate places.

– Vertical garden designs are usually ecological and sustainable, so the plants can be of little care, require little water and offer a lot of beauty.

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