Organic Gardening Tips and Methods Container Gardening (Pot Gardening) Part Two Balconies and Roof Gardens Balconies and areas of flat roof can be converted into architecturally pleasing spaces which container-grown plants can be used with extraordinary effect to create gardens in the air. Large-scale roof gardens ca incorporate many of the features of a garden at ground level, including; seating for relaxing and entertaining, barbecues, ornamental pools, trees and climbers on supports. Even the smallest balcony can be transformed into a green and flower-filled outdoor space and a valuable extension of the living space indoors as-well-as a beautiful frame for the world beyond. Special Challenges; Almost any balcony or flat roof area has garden potential, such spaces do present special challenges and safety is a major consideration, and all the other features that make up a garden constitute a considerable load, which must be within the structures load-bearing capacity, in addition, flooring must be waterproof and adequately drained. It is always advisable to consult an architect or structural engineer before planning a roof or balcony garden, and check that local by-laws permit such structures to be made. Expert advice should include suggestions for fortifying structural support, or on how to site heavy elements to use the existing load-bearing capacity of walls or cross-beams. With careful choice of materials, the accumulated weight of garden components can be minimized, for example; consider wooden decking rather than tiling as a flooring material, select plastic or fibreglass containers rather than those made from very heavy materials, such as stone and concrete, and use loamless rather than loam-based growing mix to reduce the load weight further. Balconies and roof gardens need barriers to protect those using the space: consult relevant building regulations governing minimum standards and heights for railings and walls. Balconies and roof gardens are much more likely to be affected by turbulence and strong winds than gardens at ground level, so all containers must be firmly secured. It is important, too, that none of the contents of a balcony or roof garden falls off, so putting at risk people and property below. Even within a roof garden or balcony, falling pots and large plants can cause some damage, for instance/example; windows. To prevent them from being blown over, lightweight containers may need ballast or fixing in position, bear in mind that tall, narrow-based pots are much more less stable than squat, broad-based ones. The blustery winds that are a typical feature of balconies and roof gardens may damage fragile growth and wither tender foliage on plants such as; Japanese maples (Acer palmatum cultivars). Drying winds combined with full sun create testing growing conditions, the most successful plants are tough and drought-tolerant, however, a wide range of plants will grow well provided they receive an adequate and regular water supply. On a large roof garden, an automated irrigation system can be the most efficient way to maintain satisfactory moisture levels, provided that provisions is/has been made for dealing with excess water. It is important that the structure incorporates drainage channels so that water does not form pools, for example; after a storm, Wooden decking can be laid to disguise any drainage systems required. Planting on Balconies; Plants for balconies can be grown in pots and troughs that stand on the balcony floor, in wall-mounted containers, or those that are securely fixed to railings, when a balcony forms a garden extension of a room, the appearance of the containers and plants is most often judged from inside. Use planting to frame rather than obscure a good view, perhaps by grouping containers at either side of a clear central area, if, on the other hand, the view is dull or mediocre, use container-grown plants to block it out, in a similar way, trailing plants spilling from pots or troughs mounted at the top of railings can ensure privacy by screening the room within from view. Balcony plantings can be just as attractive from within as from outside a building, balconies, like window-boxes may be planted to complement the architecture, perhaps with schemes that coordinate with plantings at ground level and on the floors above. Good trailing plants for sunny balconies include ivy-leaved pelargoniums, these are reasonably drought-tolerant and flower freely through summer and into autumn. Many bushy and upright plants also adapt well to life on sunny balconies, including aromatic herbs such as; hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) and long-flowering annuals such as the; Kingfisher daisy (Felicia bergeriana). While the choice for shady balconies is more limited, elegant schemes can be created using cultivars of common ivy (Hedera helix) and evergreens such as; box (Buxus sempervirens), which provide year-round interest, add more colour with compact, shade-tolerant annuals and biennials such as winter and summer flowering pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) or busy Lizzies (Impatiens walleriana), which bloom for several months during summer. Planting in Roof Gardens; Large balconies and roof gardens often provide viewing platforms for dramatic cityscapes, if this is the case, capitalize on the view and use planting to frame it, whether the design is formal or informal, try to group containers so that the revelation of a view is gradual. Alternatively, create frames for a series of different vistas, which will ensure that the grandest one of all does not lose its novelty. Perhaps more common than a beautiful prospect is a dreary view from a draughty and overlooked space, in this case, the best option is to create a more inward-looking garden; a climbing plant, barrier, or trellis not only helps to block out ugly views but also establishes an intimate atmosphere and helps reduce wind turbulence. Within the defined space, the design could be strictly formal, using relatively few shrubs trimmed to simple geometric shapes, or you could assemble plants to suggest the medley of a traditional cottage garden. For colourful, long-lasting displays, massed bedding plants are a good option, but there is also scope to experiment with vegetables and herbs, or subtropical and tropical plants, by creating compartments with screens, or even a pergola, variety is increased and intimacy enhanced. Whatever the chosen style, arrange containers so as not to clutter areas used for seating or entertaining, for the most wind-resistant results, choose bushy and compact plants; they are less likely to be damaged or desiccated by strong winds. Compact cultivars of most popular bedding plants are readily available and there are many bushy shrubs to choose in preference to those that are top-heavy. NOTE; All information given coincides and complies with the guidelines of; The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)....
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 08:03:05 +0000
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