Lawns and rooftop gardens have a long history going back many centuries. Of course, they're still very popular today and can significantly improve the aesthetics and environmental impact of a building, providing a peaceful oasis in a city surrounded by concrete structures.
Some people even go to the extremes of creating an entire rooftop haven with exotic flowers, herbs, shrubs, and various grass species.
In this post, we'll look at the benefits of a rooftop lawn, exploring how you can create one for yourself.
The basics
Before designing your rooftop garden, you should determine whether your roof is suitable. This is something you can't necessarily judge for yourself, so you should contact a structural engineer.
A wet lawn on your roof may be too heavy for your building, potentially causing dangerous structural issues. And in some cities, you may need to apply for a permit before installing a roof garden. .
Once you know that it's safe, you'll need to apply a protective layer between the roof and the lawn. This needs to be thick enough to waterproof the roof while protecting the roof material from the grass's roots, which will try to penetrate the protective layer.
Tar makes an excellent protective layer, as long as it's thick enough.
Once this has been done, the fun can begin!
Laying out the lawn
If you have followed the previous steps carefully, you can start laying out your roof garden. The first step is to lay a soil mixture on top of the protective layer.
Tip: Make sure your soil mix is of a good quality as it is difficult to throw it away once it's on your roof.
Start with a layer of about 1.5cm of good quality topsoil, levelling it with a rake. Sprinkle this layer with gravel or wood chips for good drainage.
Then, lay another 2.5cm of soil mixture on top of the gravel or wood chips.
Now, you can start sowing your grass seed. Always buy the best quality grass seed you can for the best results.
Ensure your grass seeds make good contact with the soil when sowing. Otherwise, the seeds won't germinate. Use a small roller to press the grass seed into the soil gently for best results. And don't forget to water the earth well after sowing.
As soon as the grass seed starts to germinate, it's essential to continue to water it well. Rooftop sun is stronger than in the garden, so the soil will dry out faster.
Advantages of a roof garden
Laying out a roof garden is time-consuming, but it offers many advantages.
Some of the benefits are:
grass plants help purify the air
increases biodiversity and supports fire safety
it provides a rainwater buffer
increases the life expectancy of the roof
lowers the ambient temperature within the building
lowers the ambient noise level inside and outside
increases the value of the building
Follow our tips
Follow our tips and learn how you can best create a roof garden yourself. This way you can enjoy your garden in no-time!
Thanks for reading.