#1   Report Post  
Old 27-02-2003, 07:51 PM
Jane Lumley
 
Posts: n/a
Default Roof garden

My house has an extension, with a long, ugly, flat gravel covered roof.
It faces south, and I'd really like to get some pots on it with nice
plants in them, but does anyone know if this would be too much strain
for the roof?

Is there light compost one can buy for roof gardens, and if so what is
it?

I'd be grateful for any advice about roof gardening.

Many thanks in advance,
--
Jane Lumley
  #2   Report Post  
Old 27-02-2003, 10:47 PM
Martin Sykes
 
Posts: n/a
Default Roof garden

"Jane Lumley" wrote in message
...
My house has an extension, with a long, ugly, flat gravel covered roof.
It faces south, and I'd really like to get some pots on it with nice
plants in them, but does anyone know if this would be too much strain
for the roof?

Is there light compost one can buy for roof gardens, and if so what is
it?

I'd be grateful for any advice about roof gardening.

Many thanks in advance,
--
Jane Lumley

Hi Jane,

Just from what I can remember from various TV programs:

1. A normal roof can take quite a bit of weight but it's best to place the
pots around the edge instead of in the middle unless you know where any
internal load-bearing walls line up.

2. Use plastic pots instead of terracota/ceramic as they're much lighter. If
you don't like the look, put large plastic at the back of a group and small
ceramic in front.

3. Fill the bottom of the pots with old expanded polystyrene packaging to
improve drainage and keep down the weight.

4. It'll be windy on the roof so make sure nothing can get blown off. and
maybe tie the pots to the house wall.

5. You can buy large mats of sedum (rock roses) which apparently look very
nice on a roof and would cover it completely if you don't need space to walk
around on the roof as well. They need almost no soil so are quite light and
the weigt is evenly spread.

6. If you don't have easy access then pots are probably not for you as
they'll need regular watering.

7. You say it is covered in gravel so maybe it was originally designed as a
patio area. Maybe you should ask the original builder if it has been
strengthened for use as such?

Hope these comments are some help,

Martin


  #3   Report Post  
Old 28-02-2003, 01:50 AM
 
Posts: n/a
Default Roof garden


"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
....
7. You say it is covered in gravel so maybe it was originally designed as

a
patio area. Maybe you should ask the original builder if it has been
strengthened for use as such?


Gravel is a common flat roof covering. It is there to protect the felt from
sunlight and, as the stones should be rounded, to minimise the risk of it
being punctured when people walk on the roof. It is, however, only intended
for occasional access, not for regular use.

Colin Bignell




  #4   Report Post  
Old 28-02-2003, 12:02 PM
JennyC
 
Posts: n/a
Default Roof garden


"Jane Lumley" wrote in message
...
My house has an extension, with a long, ugly, flat gravel covered

roof.
It faces south, and I'd really like to get some pots on it with nice
plants in them, but does anyone know if this would be too much

strain
for the roof?

Is there light compost one can buy for roof gardens, and if so what

is
it?

I'd be grateful for any advice about roof gardening.
Many thanks in advance,
Jane Lumley


Excellent advice from Maritn and nightjar :~))

I have lots of links about roof gardening on my (garden) home page :
http://members.rott.chello.nl/ldejag...ex.welcome.htm

Jenny


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Garden Door in Door County Wisconsin Garden Door 16 Closeup of ferocious dragon head on roof of Viking potting shed.JPG (1/1) Just Plane Noise Garden Photos 0 01-08-2009 12:02 AM
Garden Shed Roof repair Chris Stewart United Kingdom 7 04-06-2008 11:52 AM
roof garden? Oxymel of Squill United Kingdom 9 25-07-2004 09:05 PM
Garden Shed Roof Leaking WardaleM United Kingdom 13 07-11-2003 11:24 PM
rollerdoor roof on garden shed? Any designs? d m Australia 0 05-04-2003 07:36 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:55 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017