Consumer Voice :: Sacred Groves

<<Back to index

“A little bit of Nature in the heart of the city”

WHAT ARE ROOF GARDENS???

A garden in the sky is a basic contradiction of terms but in the urban world of roof gardens in cities around the world it is becoming a delightful reality. For the empty nester who wants to downsize or keep a place in the city while retiring to the country; for the urban professional who wants to live in the core of a city's entertainment district; or for the new home- based entrepreneur; loft living is a viable vital alternative to high-rise apartment buildings. Balcony gardens become an important adjunct to their urban lifestyles offering a little bit of nature in the heart of the city.

The goal for urban planners is to keep downtown core areas vital and alive, not just a place in which to work and then escape to the bedroom communities in suburbia, leaving the city to the criminal elements at night. Real neighbourhoods, people in residence, vibrant urban life, day and night, keep cities healthy and safe.

Annual plants, a quick fix to brighten any outdoor space, have a place in most home and professional gardens, and are particularly useful to the roof top gardener in hanging baskets, window boxes and pots. Special care for hanging baskets needs to be taken as winds up high can quickly dry them out.
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing something you planted actually grow and thrive. What might start out one year as a few annual pots can quickly spread into full perennial gardens complete with trees and waterfalls?

Tips for people-friendly plantings

If you're finding gardening more work and less fun, maybe it's time for a garden makeover.

	Herbs are particularly people-friendly. Most are happy in containers and can join you indoors through the winter. They look good, smell great and are easy to care for. Plus, they're handy to toss in salads or the soup pot.
	Bring your garden within reach by gardening in planters, raised beds or containers. All are a great solution for people with limited mobility or who tire easily. They combine well with deck and patio layouts, too.
	ou can grow almost anything in a container today, from tomatoes to flowers to vines and small trees. Make sure your planters have drainage holes and use a loose soil mix with lots of perlite or vermiculite to allow roots to breathe.

Adapt your garden to your lifestyle and live -- and garden -- happily ever after.

Next>>