Green roof training HQ

Apr 14, 2015

Green roof of the Day – Green roof training HQ

Green roof training HQ is now over twenty years old. It was constructed using the material from the footing. Just clay earth. This tends to mean it browns off quickly in the summertime. However it still surprises.


Green roof house, Essex

Green roof training HQ at Hilldrop

I visited John on Sunday to take part in the Q and A for the Virtual Green Roof Summit. There was a lot happening on the roof. Flowers in bloom included Germander Speedwell and plenty of Dandelions. But best of all were the army of Muscari in full flower.

Muscari in flower on the Green Roof Training HQ

Just have to share these images. Muscari, although not native, is a great plant to plant on a green roof. Such vivd colour and an important nectar source for early pollinators.

Green roof training HQ

Muscari in flower on green roof

Pollinators on a green roof

Whilst on the roof a noticed a couple of Hoverfly species. There were also a few Honey bees from John’s wild hives visiting the flower heads. Just below the roof, a series of bee hotels/habitat walls are being investigated by Red Mason Bees. Taking a break from patrolling for females, a noticed the male Mason bees feeding on the Muscari. A couple of Red-tailed bumblebees looked to searching for nest sites on the roof too.

Green roof training HQ - Mason Bee

Red Mason bee on Habitat Wall at Green Roof Training HQ

Seasonal Change on a green roof

Come May, the bee orchids that appeared a few years ago will be in flower, then in June the Sedum reflexum will offer up yellow flowers to the pollinators, along with the Ox-eye daisies. July can turn brown, especially if there is a drought and then in August the Musk Mallow will act as pink bars for the bees.

So even though the substrate may not be the type we would recommend these days, 20 years on the Green roof training HQ is still a magnet for biodiversity.

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