The summer house green roof is doing fine. A quick visit to John Little’s allowed to have a quick inspection.
Flue and Skylights on a Summer House Green Roof
A mildly pampered summer house green roof
The summer hose green roof is fours old now. It is the one green roof that John pampers. Only a little though. This year he has irrigated the summer house green roof once. In the first few years he did a little bit of weeding. now though the seeded and planted vegetation has spread and throughly established itself. This now prevents the ‘weeds’ like sow thistle colonising the roof.
There were a few oak and birch samplings growing low down. There is, however, no need to panic. They will whither in the heat of late summer In 200mm of substrate they are unlikely to thrive anyway.
So very little green roof maintenance can provide a very beautiful green roof. Little effort, maximum pleasure and great biodiversity.
View from the summer house green roof
Wildflowers on a summer house green roof
June is wildflower time for sure. The ox-eye daisies are just about to turn, though the wild herbs – basil and majoram – are sending out a full aroma for pollinators. Grass vetchling has somehow made it to the roof. Heavy in seed it probably only got their via John’s boots during installation or is mild pampering visits. Vetchlings and vetches do well on extensive green roofs with good depths.
Stinking Iris – great green roof plant
The star of the show, subtle in colour but tall of stature, are the three stinking irises. Being bulbous, their rhizomes can withstand the stress of an extensive green roof.
Using our dry riverbed drainage channel means that a few areas are a little moister. (Watch the video here) A few rushes and sedges have blown in and established themselves adding a little botanical variety.
We generally avoid seeding or planting with grasses. Quaking grass, however, is a must and the gentle seed heads are well in flower now along the front edge of the roof.
Scabious and bedstraw will flower in a month or two. So there are still surprises and nectar sources for pollinators in store.
Key To Success
The mantra of light is best is the mantra of a roof that will disappoint – even with full pampering programme. Depth is the key to success. We can only recommend that you build what you build to take at least 100 – 150mm. If you can stretch to 200 then that would be even better.
Then you won’t be dissatisfied when the drought comes.
And you will be able to pamper a little or not a all. Just like John’s summer house green roof.
