Roof Gardens
Table of Contents
Roof Gardens
Green roofs naturally reduce indoor heat (by as much as 30-40°F or "an average of 16.4 degrees Celsius per unit area") while increasing biodiversity and cleaning the air. Many flat or low slope roofs are appropriate for retrofitting or even containers options like flat trays of flowers or veggies fixed to the existing roof, or bringing potted plants onto a tall building to create a patio garden.
Benefits of Roof Gardens
Biodiversity
Every tiny bit of space can help boost biodiversity, even if that space is "hard to reach" for humans. Roof gardens might not help your neighborhood foxes, possums, racoons or hedgehogs, but they can definitely help your locals birds, bats, and other pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
Click the Pollinator Garden button to learn how to make your roof garden a pollinator habitat.
Combat Heat Island Effect
The heat island effect is making cities increasingly dangerous as global temperatures continue to rise. Any green space can help reduce this potentially deadly phenomenon.
Flood Control & Rain Harvesting
As flooding becomes an increasing threat to communities world wide, people are increasingly turning to permeable and water-wise infrastructure including green and blue roofs.
Urban Density
Higher density in communities can improve energy efficiency, and reduces emissions. By using our existing spaces more wisely we can enjoy our homes, businesses, and even bring a little extra biodiversity into our lives via this strategic space use.
North America
Canada
Alberta Clean Runoff Action Guide: Green Roofs (PDF) "Why not take it from the top? Green roofs last a long time and contribute to many environmental benefits. They are used on premier architectural buildings, but often aren’t noticed because you can’t may not see them from the ground."
Considerations
Apps & Tools
Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.
Europe
UK
Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.
Maps
International
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."
Europe
UK
Butterfly Conservation: Wild Spaces: Put Your Wild Space on the Map "Our interactive map shows the number and types of Wild Space near you. When you sign up in the UK, your Wild Space will also appear on the map so you can show everyone that you're taking action and encourage others to get involved too."
North America
USA
Stormwater Management and Restoration Tracking (SMART) Tool (Interactive) Tool tracks storm water management practices in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed which spans, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia
Organizations
North America
Canada
Pollinator Partnership Canada " is a registered charity dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems through conservation, education, and research."
Grants & Funding
Oceana
Australia
Western Australia
Native Plant Subsidy "Native plants provide natural food sources and shelter for native animals, are water wise and can help cool your home naturally. To help you create a waterwise garden, the City of Cockburn offers native plant subsidies to both residents and schools."
Companies
Europe
Denmark
Nykilde 🌱 "has been active for more than 40 years within the production and collecting of native seeds in Denmark. In cooperation with local authorities, landscape architects and universities we have been developing the market to a mature market regarding seeds of native plants. Beside our own production we have local producers producing seeds. We supply the danish market with native seeds and we are also developing and supplying the market with green roofs and vegetation blankets, based on our native seeds." "Vi hos Nykilde tror på en harmonisk sameksistens med naturen. Med 40 års erfaring udvikler, rådgiver, producerer og markedsfører vi innovative produkter og løsninger til den grønne sektor."