Hundreds of years ago, simple huts were made with grasses and plants assembled into the thatched roofs, which grew to keep the house insulated and guarded from natural elements. Currently, this archaic concept of a roof garden has changed into the modern practice of installing and growing various kinds of plant life in many different forms on top of homes, bungalows, sheds and other adjacent buildings. From elaborate, ornamental gardens to simple, functional mats, these new structures (and the technology that makes them possible) are spreading speedily across the country.

Roof gardens that are more luxurious can be tranquil hideaways that offer privacy to homeowners who want to establish a private garden totally under their care. These functional types of roof garden, harboring mostly grasses and herbs, act as an extra coating of protection, keeping your home warm during the winter and cool during the summer. Rainwater that falls on these roofs is gathered and used within the garden. By the quantity of sunlight and weather damage that the garden takes, you can double your roof's lifespan by adding a roof garden.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been recommending urban areas to develop roof gardens for years, quoting the abundant environmental benefits to keeping growing roofs anywhere feasible. In seriously urbanized areas, roof gardens purify the surrounding atmosphere of damaging air contaminants, not to mention switching carbon dioxide for oxygen.

Roof gardens can have many different levels of upkeep, depending on how complicated they are and how much space they cover. In rural areas, side roofs, such as sheds, greenhouses and garages, are regularly the best locations for roof gardens because they are inclined to be flatter and easier to install on than main roofs. For simpler roof gardens, you can buy installation packages that will set up the roof garden on either flat or sloping surfaces.

When building rooftop gardens that are more complicated, one includes many kinds of flora, bushes, and flowers, homeowners should be sure the roof can carry the extra weight and has been waterproofed with a membrane that includes the appropriate, ecologically healthy soil substitute. A well-designed intensive roof garden will create a mini-ecological environment including an expansive variety of native plants that can encourage wildlife and help sustain each other in a continuing cycle.

Although roof gardens can provide copious benefits, many people are unsure how to erect one. Unless homeowners purchase an assembly kit, they may be lost when it comes to choosing the correct roof foliage for their needs and climate. Those wishing for only a simple green roof should think about grasses, sedum and mosses, which are sufficient and take very little care to grow. For gardens that are more intricate, choose native plants, well-established specimens that will be able to withstand your area's weather conditions on rooftops. You can add more seeds or plants as needed. Homeowners should take advantage of current roof projects and began planning a roof garden today!

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