An amusing moment reviewing a Roof Garden

A good few years ago we were  asked to design and build a roof garden on an office roof.

There are a few extra considerations needed when doing this.

All roofs will have a weight restriction – this includes a snow loading and a people loading

Access is severely restricted unless a tower crane is still on site, when it’s the crane lifting ability and movement.

Wind levels play a part with plants survival, and also with ‘lifting’ light weight materials

Irrigation is essential – as to is adequate drainage and roof waterproofing

Finally ongoing site safety – railings, balconies , restricted access to the parapet.

On this occasion the roof had been completed, we had even received an award for the design and construction.

I have always liked this one..
We were commissioned to Design and Build a roof garden, to comply with a local planning condition.
So we utilised artificial rocks made from GRP – we took moulds of actual rock faces and pieced them together to form a sealed planter – First picture
Then we joined these together added compost and plants …. the result an award winning roof garden..
There was a funny moment when a visiting Japanese manager of the company we were working for,  came up to me one evening while I was checking the summer planting one year.

He bowed formally ( the Japanese are so polite), any way after bowing he tapped on the rock and said ” Ah Rock “
I , with a slight smile, bowed and tapped the rock and and said “No Plastic” !!

To which he looked puzzled and then smiled ,then saw the humour in the situation and roared with laughter… we kept the contract for many more years !!

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