A roof garden is always a world of its own. Usually in the midst of a lively, urban life, it is often perceived as a place of retreat - as a piece of nature in the middle of the city. In order for this to really work, however, the planting must meet special requirements. In other words: not every plant is suitable for a roof terrace - especially not when it is sunny.
particularities
The special location means that roof terraces are in most cases always exposed to direct sunlight. It can happen that higher neighboring houses provide shade. However, this should not be the rule. It is also due to the location that a roof is not necessarily a sheltered location.
Tip: In order to cushion the natural drafts in a roof garden, certain protective elements such as light privacy screens should be set up.
Finally, it should also be taken into account that plants in a roof garden are very often grown in large planters. If you want to avoid moving the heavy buckets down from the roof twice a year and then back again in the spring Having to haul upstairs should definitely focus on choosing plants that are hardy are. The indispensable wintering can then take place on site without any problems, there is no need to tow the vehicle. However, a certain amount of protection is usually still required for individual plants. The following selection of plants is therefore exclusively winter-hardy.
Flowering plants
Flowers give every roof terrace that certain something in summer. Flowering plants should therefore definitely be taken into account when equipping the roof garden. Basically, all common balcony plants that love it sunny and are of course hardy are suitable for this. These three are particularly suitable for this
Well:Japanese azalea(Azalea japonica / Rhododendron japonicum)
A flowering, low-growing ornamental shrub that stays green all year round. The flowering period is in April and May. Depending on the species, white, red, pink or orange flowers are formed.
Daylily "Stella de Oro"(Hemerocallis hybrid Stella de Oro)
A type of lily that develops funnel-shaped, deep yellow flowers and can bloom from April to October. It reaches a height of 20 to 40 cm.
Hanging bellflower "Trollkind"(Campanula poscharskyana)
A fascinating species of bluebell that blooms from June to September. The flowers of the plant are blue in color and have a radial shape.
Tip: If you want variety in your roof garden all year round, you should combine flowering plants that bloom at different times and in different colors.
Most of the flowers of plants are very sensitive to wind. On a roof terrace, the mostly rather low-growing specimens should always be combined with higher-growing plants. This allows a windbreak to be created in a natural way. Over the winter, it is also advisable to cover the respective flowering plant with fleece, leaves or brushwood.
Grasses
A planting with grasses is ideal for a roof garden. Your big advantage: They can partially act as privacy screens and wind protection. Most grasses are also very decorative and relatively easy to care for. However, in order for them to reach an imposing size, they must be cultivated in large planters - the roots must be able to penetrate relatively deep into the soil. These grasses do a lot
Impression:Fuchsia sedge(Carex buchananii)
An almost classic ornamental grass that has a very special charm due to its reddish-brown color. After all, it is up to 50 cm high.
Riding grass(Calamagrostis acutiflora)
A herbaceous type of grass that grows very densely and with many branches. Since it can also be up to 1.50 m high, this grass is ideal as a privacy screen and wind protection.
Hedge bamboo(Fargesia robusta)
A variety of bamboo that is actually suitable for forming a hedge. It grows extremely fast, very dense and can reach heights of several meters.
Practically all types of grass are very undemanding and require little attention. As a rule, they are also extremely robust and can withstand adverse weather conditions well.
Climbing plants
Climbing plants are also classics when it comes to furnishing the roof terrace. They can either be planted on walls or on special climbing aids. Climbing plants are particularly suitable for giving the roof garden a truly green note. Equipped with a climbing frame, they can also be used as a demarcation or privacy screen. If they are planted on walls, however, one should note that they can sometimes cause considerable damage to the masonry. If you are not the owner of the building yourself, you must always obtain the landlord's permission before planting climbing plants on a wall. You can't go wrong with these climbing plants on the roof terrace:
ivy(Hedera Helix)
Along with wild wine, ivy is, in a sense, the classic among climbing plants. If it is planted directly on a wall, there is a high probability that it will cause significant damage to the masonry.
Evergreen honeysuckle(Lonicera henryi)
This climbing plant, on the other hand, does not cause wall damage and is therefore perfect when it comes to greening unsightly walls on or in the roof garden.
Climbing hydrangea(Hydrangea petiolaris)
The climbing hydrangea should also not necessarily be planted on a wall, but rather on a climbing aid. Plus, it's not green all year round.
Wild Wine(Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris)
Climbing plants may need to be pruned regularly. Depending on your taste, you should just let them grow wild.
Note: Climbing plants should not be allowed to grow over the edge of the building from the roof garden. This can lead to considerable problems on the house wall.
Woods
Trees are also almost perfect for a roof garden. In general, they are very easy to care for and have enormous resistance. However, one should be careful: some species are poisonous and should therefore be treated with caution. Typically, trees on the roof terrace are grown in a large planter. The following types are particularly suitable for this:
Barberry(Berberis vulgaris)
A shrub that has proven itself with thorns and is well tolerated in a sunny to partially shaded location. It grows up to three meters tall and blooms from May to June.
yew(Taxus baccata)
An evergreen plant that occurs either as a shrub or as a small to medium-sized tree. The yew tree is very poisonous. The main problem is the poison Taxin B., which it contains.
Thuja(Thuja)
An evergreen shrub or a small tree that is perfect for forming hedges. An effective privacy screen can be created relatively quickly from several thuja plants that are cultivated next to each other.
More plants
There are a number of other plants that can be used in a roof garden. There are, for example, various types of herbs, many of which are also hardy. In summer you can of course also grow vegetables on the roof. Those who prefer fruit, on the other hand, should think about setting up the dwarf variant of a fruit tree. These are now available from almost every type of fruit tree. Most of them are also suitable for planting in pots. However, it is important that the respective cultivation is actually hardy. This must be taken into account before buying. It should also be clear that such a miniature fruit tree can be very heavy in the bucket. Transport is often no longer possible.
