How To Get To The Roof Gardens

One of the great benefits of roof gardens vertical gardens and green roofs is that by protecting the underlying roof covering they extend the life of the existing roof fabric by up to 200.

How to get to the roof gardens. A living roof allows storm water to be absorbed where soil organisms can break down toxins and the outflow drains away gradually. The loading capacity is how much weight your roof structure can support. Check with your city s building codes. Even if a roof terrace is already authorised for garden use many structures need permission from the property management company or local authority.

Prepping your roof 1. It s a good idea to consult with the building manager or engineer to ensure that the roof can support the weight of your garden. New roof gardens are often seen to be an extra floor and if you live in a conservation area or in a listed building you ll need to check any plans with the local authority. A green roof protects the roof membrane from climatic extremes and physical abuse thereby greatly increasing the life expectancy of the roof.

Referred to as a green roof this type of rooftop garden uses layers to provide insulation drainage and a growing medium for plants. The other more complex rooftop garden construction involves covering the entire roof or the majority of it with soil and plants. Review your municipality s building codes before beginning construction to. Evaluate your roof s loading capacity.

The intensive ones are like regular or vegetable gardens needing greater care and the extensive ones hardly need to be tended annually though they are not usually used. Second get an architect or contractor involved as soon as possible. The five roof gardens perched atop the 7th floor of rockefeller center have been in existence since the mid 1930 s and continue to provide beautiful greenspace as well as visual ammenity for the surrounding skyscrapers. Origin of green roofs the scandinavian countries have been using them for centuries.

In big cities where space is at a premium rooftop gardens are coveted getaway spots attractive to potential renters as a social spot or spirit building retreat. Rockefeller center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51st. You ll need easy access to the roof to transport materials tools soil and plants up and down. The rockefeller center roof gardens were constructed between 1933 and 1936.

Consult with the building engineer. Rooftop gardens can become a sanctuary.