Ornamental Horticulture

Roof garden

There is a misconception in India between roof gardening and terrace gardening. In many publications the gardening on the roof is often termed as terrace gardening which is not strictly correct according to the British concept.
In modern times, homes with a compound and lawn especially in cities and towns are becoming rare and skyscrapers are replacing such homes. As a result, the private home gardens are vanishing and the only places left for gardening are the roofs of houses and the balcony. A spacious and well-planned roof garden can be a place of joy and recreation. In bigger cities of India, many of the large hotels and public buildings are developing this type of gardening.
Depending upon the sun and the shade, the climate, the size of the roof, etc., the following plants are recommended for growing in the roof garden.
Flowering annuals:
Antirrhinum, stocks, dwarf sweet pea, pansy, dahlia, chrysanthemum, marigold, sweet alyssum, phlox, pinks (Dianthus) and verbena.
Herbaceous perennials:
Pelargoniums, Michaelmas daisy, Canna, Mirabilis jalaba, Portulaca, Solidago Canadensis, Vinca rosea and perennial verbena.
Shrubs:
Many of the dwarf and medium shrubs can be grown.
Trees:
One or two drawf trees such as Plumeria sp., Callistemon lanceolatus and Gliricida maculata can be grown as specimen plants. Some large to medium trees such as Araucaria cookii, Mimusops elengi, Brassaia actinophylla, etc., can also be grown till they are young.
Bulbs:
A variety of bulbous plants of annual or perennial nature can be grown.
Water plants:
Water lilies and other water plants can be grown in the lily pool or in cement tubs.