Offbeat Homes

Grow Your Garden Higher, (Literally)

by Jennifer Chait on June 6th, 2007

Why just enjoy your garden underfoot? The hippest (and greenest) in new green roof design allows you to enjoy your garden overhead as well. January’s Custom Home Magazine reports that, “Between 2004 and 2005, total green roof square footage grew 80 percent in the U.S.” What’s this mean to home owners? Green roofing reduces cooling costs, improves air quality, and allows for green space to co-exist with architecture.

Enticed by the idea of planting flowers up above?

Hydrotech, Inc. is taking green roof design to a whole new level. Water-tight, energy efficient, and let’s not forget ultra cool to look at — Hydrotech has a garden roof to fit any builder’s or dreamer’s needs.

Hydrotech’s site covers all the basics. Visit to learn about designs, benefits of green roof systems, installation, and different type of roof systems.

Hydrotech’s site discusses roof types such as:

• The Intensive Garden Roof
• Sloped Applications
• Extensive Garden Roof
• Shallow-Intensive (Lawn) Garden Roof

To get an idea; here’s what Hydrotech says about the Extensive Garden Roof system:

“The Extensive Garden Roof is ideally suited for locations that will receive little or no maintenance, or where structural capabilities are a concern. Recommended plants include sedum, herbs, grasses and other vegetation that can withstand harsh growing conditions. The soil mixture, composed primarily of mineral materials mixed with organic medium, can be very shallow (as little as three inches). The entire system is very light, weighing little more than a traditional ballast roof, allowing for safe installation on almost any existing roof.”

Here’s my favorite garden roof.

Or, maybe this one…

Perhaps you desire a “going all out” approach:

Other positive aspects of green roof systems include:

• Stormwater management, (a green roof retains 50%-90% of a typical rainfall)
• Creation of a natural habitat for plants and animals.
• Reduced dust, smog, and noise levels,
• Increased life expectancy of a roof, (offers protection from physical abuse and extreme weather).
• Improved thermal resistance — helps to reduce cooling costs in the summer months.
• And much more.

A garden roof creates a livable and peaceful environment. Of course you’re not going to be basking on too sloped a roof; but imagine the possibilities for the average roof owner. It’d be so cool to have people over… to your roof! Coffee, up on the roof on a cool summer morning; a little after hours alone time with your significant other up on the roof; a lot of alone time with a book for just you.

And hey, with pedestrians, dogs, bikes, and more; a green roof ends the senseless trampling of flowers everywhere. Hmm, maybe this could be the new slogan for green roof organizations everywhere.

Or not.

All photos courtesy of American Hydrotech, Inc. (Thanks Hydrotech!)

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POSTED IN: Alternative Construction, Design Trends, General, Green Building, Nature