Planting for a Rooftop Garden

A rooftop or terrace garden can be designed and grown in containers and/or raised beds, or right on the roof itself. However, if planting directly on the roof, your roof’s construction must be crafted so as to avoid extreme temperature fluctuations (protection layer), have adequate drainage and a Geotextile Layer, which is a fabric designed to prevent finer particles of soil from clogging the drainage system. When it comes to container planting, you are only limited by your imagination, though your containers should provide a well-drained home for your plants.

Regardless of the type of rooftop garden you are growing, the plants that will do best are those that can withstand both the rigors of the wind and full exposure to sunlight, unless your roof is partially shaded. Succulents are a favorite for rooftop gardens but broaden your horizons and consider a wide variety of flowering plants, or a dwarf evergreen, such as Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae.

You should also carefully consider the types of pots that you will use. Terra Cotta pots are timeless but are also susceptible to frost damage. If you live in an area that experiences frost, consider planting in wood, metal, concrete or polyester resins. Putting a little bit of thought into your design will yield years of pure rooftop gardening pleasure. Click the links below to view, by variety, some of the top plants used on Rooftop Gardens:

Top 5 Shrub Rose Plants for Rooftop Gardens

Top 5 Osteospermum Plants for Rooftop Gardens

Top 5 Herb Plants for Rooftop Gardens

Top 5 Sedum Plants for Rooftop Gardens

You Might Also Like

1 Comment

  • Reply
    Mahiuddin Suman
    June 15, 2021 at 2:39 am

    The rooftop garden is getting popular day by day. We know that environmental quality in cities is not so good due to multiple reasons. but we can slightly recover with rooftop gardening. Thank you for your post

  • Leave a Comment