Heavens above

Visitors to MIFGS were encouraged to think outside the square – and upwards. Roof gardens not only improve general aesthetics, they can help with water harvesting, produce food and boost mental health.

CITY SLICKER

The Metropolis garden (above) was designed by Brent Reid of Candeo Design to ignite a conversation about greening our cities. Gigantic bluestone planters represented the buildings of Melbourne’s CBD, while the alcoves imitated the alleyways. White cedar trees grow from the ‘rooftops’, underplanted with Acacia ‘Moptop’, Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’, Choisya ternata and Hedera. For the ‘alleys’ below, Brent used shade-tolerant species such as Hosta ‘Francee’, Philodendron ‘LicketySplit’ and Hydrangea quercifolia. “We wanted to show what is possible in terms of planting in the heart of the city,” says Brent, who went home with a silver award and Best Use of Plant Life honours.

PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

“Sustainable gardens are the future of gardening,” says Ben Griek, a landscape design student from Melbourne’s Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, who presented this Go With The Flow design (left) as a showcase for managing stormwater in the garden. Pivotal to his layout was a roof garden of succulents, planted in ribbons of colour. Shown in detail (right), the roof was planted with a range of sedum varieties, including Sedum ‘Gold Mound’, S. ‘Blue Feather’ and S. ‘Dragon’s Blood’.

SKY ZONES A successful rooftop garden starts with checking the weight-bearing tolerance of the roof. Also critical is plant selection, as dictated by the exposed location. “On a rooftop, hot is hotter, cold is colder and wind is windier,” says landscape designer Brent Reid. Tick those boxes and the sky’s the limit.