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A roof garden is any garden situated on the roof a building. A flat or gently sloped roof transformed into a landscape environment.

These are grown plants atop structure that started during ancient times, about 2,500-3,000 years ago in Rome and Mesopotamia. It became popular in the 19th century. Here are some benefits of Roof Garden:

• Very attractive & decorative
• It can provide food & other useful plants
• It helps in controlling environment temperature (reduce heat loss during winter & heat gain in summer)
• It is considered as architectural enhancement and for recreational opportunities
• It promotes biodiversity; valuable inner city habitat and feeding stations especially for insects and birds.
• It controls flood
• It creates usable space for people

Hydroponics, the use nutrients solution in growing plants instead of soil and other alternative means can expand roof gardening. Wanting a roof garden for less space, square foot and living walls gardening are advisable. These use less space than traditional gardening. The square roof method is when the garden space are divided into beds that are accessible, each is divided in one square foot where different seeds are planted in each space to avoid crowding and thinning of plants.

It is beneficial since there is much less to be done, it conserves water, and it’s pesticide-free and very accessible. The living walls gardening or vertical gardening as sometimes called is either freestanding or part of the building that is partially covered. This is considered as experimental and new concept in roof gardening. A variety of this are active walls that kept behind glass and with the aid of a fan, the air circulates. It best suits in the heart of the cities since available vertical surfaces are being used. We can simply say its urban gardening.

We have to consider the roof itself when building one. The roof should be flat and accessible. Wet soil can weigh more than eighty pounds per square foot; your roof must be able to support this weight. Peat moss can also be use to ensure there will be sufficient soil. Make sure that roofs are also waterproof. In order to keep up, climate should also be taken into consideration. Urban areas are mostly shaded while if it’s in direst sunlight, plants will be withered. Think of what kind of garden you want to have before choosing the plants. Lastly, Plastic pots are definitely lighter than clay pots. By using light materials, it will reduce the strain on your roof. Fences and screen or net lawn can be use to protect the plants.

One of the most famous roof gardens is Queen Semiramis’ Gardens nailed in Babylon, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. It’s famously known as the hanging garden of Babylon. It was towered hundreds of feet into the air. It surpasses in splendor any city in the known world. It was built around 600 B.C. and was destroyed by several earthquakes after second century B.C.

Another beautiful roof garden is the Kensington Roof Garden in London. It is the largest roof garden in Europe – are accessible from Derry Street, through a doorway marked “99 Kensington High Street”. The garden has a restaurant, nightclub, and are nailed in 30 meters above street level with a panoramic view over west London. It is not very known because this is not a tourist attraction but open to public as restaurant and nightclub.

Above these, roof gardening encourage environmentally responsible practices like eliminating pesticides, eliminating molecular biology and composting different material which is the best form of any of fertilization.

For more information on Roof Gardens please visit  www.ROOF-GARDENS.COM

Articles on Roof Gardening

Compost is what is left over when organic matter decomposes. Organic matter can be things like vegetable scraps, leaves, mown grass and any other garden waste. This material will decompose without any assistance at all, though you can help it along and enjoy the benefits of compost faster if you wish.

Because it doesn’t contain a high level of essential nutrients, compost is not considered an actual fertilizer. Instead, it is treated as a soil conditioner or amendment. Compost does supply many good things to the soil. It attracts beneficial creatures like earthworms and it improves the soil composition.

Cold composting is basically just making a pile and letting it sit in the bin. This takes longer than hot composting. Hot composting is when you take a shovel and turn your pile every few days to supply more oxygen to the microorganisms in your compost pile.

Location

First, decide where you will put your compost pile. Check for city ordinances that may regulate where you can put a compost pile, or if you can even have one. A compost pile can get messy, so put it somewhere that you can reach with a hose so you can do clean up if necessary. Bugs will be attracted to your compost pile, so keep this in mind. If you have a free corner in your garden that is far enough away from the house and the neighbors could be the perfect spot for that new compost pile.

Containers

There are many composting products for sale today. They even have gadgets that will rotate your compost for you, but really, the only thing you need is a compost container. Some people simply fence off the compost pile, while others use a bin or container of some kind to put their organic matter in. This can be recycled, home made or purchased at a store. While there are many composting bins to choose from in all sorts of shapes and sizes, the easiest ones are simple. Don’t spend more than you need.

Layer It

A good way to begin a compost pile is with layers. Start with fallen leaves or grass clippings, and then put some soil on it, then put in some kitchen waste. Eggshells, scraps of fruits and vegetables and coffee grounds all make good additions to a compost pile. Do not ever add meat or pet waste to your compost. Once you have more layers, add another layer of soil and manure.

Moisture

Keep your compost pile moist, but not wet. Add a little water if it seems to be getting dry. You may want to consider adding a little beer to your pile. The yeast in the beer will keep the bacteria in your compost pile and make sure they’ll be happy. It doesn’t really matter if you add beer or water, just keep it moist.

Maintenance

A compost pile doesn’t need a lot of maintenance. Just continue adding your garden trimmings and kitchen waste to the pile. Occasionally mix in a little soil and manure to encourage decomposition. Keep the pile moist and if you remember, turn the pile about once a week to improve air circulation and aid the decomposition process.

The compost is ready to put in your garden when it looks like dark soil and smells like earth. Just add to your garden and mix it in. If you want to add compost to your indoor plants, you need to sterilize it first. Layer it on some foil on an old baking sheet and put it in a 200 degree F oven for about half an hour.

There isn’t one best way to make compost. No matter what you do, organic matter will decompose. Find the style that works best for you and your garden and get composting!

Check out The Joy of Rose Gardening now at http://www.roseflowergarden.com, to find great articles, advice, tips and much more on rose gardening topics.

More Compost Help

One of the key ingredients for a great life is good health and good health is derived from good nutrition. One part of good health is exercising right and the other is to eat right. The risk of acquiring diseases can be reduced by controlling the diet and the amount of intake of certain foods. While most of us eat for taste, we forget the nutrition value of the same.

Fruits: Why Fruits? To start with, they are the most natural form of food. Most fruits contain water, fiber, proteins and vitamins that are required for our day to day life and they are fat and cholesterol free. Citrus fruits can help detoxify your body. Eating fruits directly may have a better health effect as opposed to fruit juices that are concentrated and may have higher sugar levels, which may not be the best for the body. Organic fruits are any day better than the fruits that undergo hybridization.

Vegetables: They are a very vital part of our diet. Raw or cooked, vegetables must always be washed before consuming. Vegetables contain anti oxidants that can reduce the risk of diseases. Seasonal vegetables are no longer a concern, as most vegetables are available in a frozen form. Leafy vegetables are high in Iron and Calcium and Vitamins, although they must be stored in the right manner to make the most of their nutrition value.

Fat: It is the richest source of calories in our diet. Fat is required for our body as they produce essential fatty acids. They are good source of Vitamin E and also help in nervous system functioning. They could also give you a healthy hair and skin J . A daily diet should contain at least 25-30% of fat. Excess consumption of food containing fat could result in gaining weight.

Liquids: Water is the most essential element for survival. Water is Vital for metabolism and digestion. Lack of the right amount of water can lead to malfunctioning of the body. On any given day, the human body needs at least 7-8 glasses of water to carry out proper functioning in the body.
Milk: is a rich source of Calcium and is good for the bones. Most people do not consume milk because of the fat quotient present in it, however, these days low fat and fat free milk, yogurt and cheese is available for consumption.

Negative Calorie Foods: These are foods that contain less energy but they require the body to use extra energy to digest them. Negative Calorie foods when consumed moderately can help reduce weight. To name a few, Celery, Lettuce Zucchini, Black berries, Guavas etc.

All of the above are essential for the human body. Good health comes with knowing what you are eating and eating it right.

Health is a blessing that money cannot buy

Organic Gardening

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Few things bring to mind an American Fall season quite like Sunflowers…well, maybe pumpkins, but we’re going with Sunflowers on this one. A native plant to America, the Sunflower (Helianthus annus) is an annually blooming plant and can grow to be over 3 meters tall. The Sunflower is well known for exhibiting heliotropism, or following the path of the sun throughout the day from east to west. While there are certainly a number of ways to go about getting Sunflowers to decorate with this Fall season, here are some thoughts on what to keep in mind in case you’ve decided that you want to grow your own.

Plan Ahead to Plant Early

If you want to grow your own Sunflowers than you had better plan ahead and plan to plant in early Spring. Getting the seeds into the ground by between March and August, with mid-May being an ideal time, is the best way to go to ensure that you get maximum return on the seeds that you plan. Also, make sure you test the soil where you’ll be planting well ahead to make sure that there’s not too much Nitrogen in the soil, but that there is a good amount of Potassium and Phosphorus.

Give Yourself Enough Space

Growing Sunflowers can take up some space, so make sure that you have enough space devoted to the amount of plants that you will be growing. You’ll want to plant each seed roughly 1 to 2 inches deep into moist soil, spacing the seeds 12 inches apart in rows that are spaced between 2 and 2 ½ feet apart. If you’re planning on growing a larger varietal of Sunflower than you may want to give yourself even more space to allow for the added size.

Managing the Plants

Your Sunflowers plant should mature in roughly 60 to 90 days at which point they will need to be cut daily. The best time to cut your Sunflower plants is in either the early morning or late afternoon. Once you’ve cut your Sunflowers you’ll want to immerse them in clean buckets filled with water and a solution of Quick Dip to open their pores. Refrigerating them within a few hours of cutting ensures that they will last long once they are put on display.

Ready by Fall

Depending on when you plant your Sunflowers they can be ready to be cut anywhere from September and into October. You can display your Sunflowers in any number of ways, to having them be the center of a large display to using them as a way to add color and vibrancy to an existing floral arrangement. If properly managed and prepared before being put into an arrangement, your Sunflowers can maintain their fresh flowers appearance for upwards of two weeks.

Just in Case

Ok, so you can see that it’s not really that hard to grow your own beautiful Sunflowers for your Fall floral arrangements, but what if you don’t have the time, or the green thumb, to grow your own Sunflowers. Well there are number of places that will offer fresh flowers this time of year, chief amongst them being Sunflowers. While there is certainly a certain satisfaction in growing your own flowers, if you don’t have the time or space to do so, there’s certainly nothing wrong with deciding to buy flowers from your local florist and having them include some fresh Sunflowers for you.

About the Author Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been in the floral industry for over 22 years, offering fresh flowers and flowers online for those looking for quality and experience. Vogue Flowers can be found at: http://www.vogueflowers.com

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