ROOFTOP HYDROPONIC GREENHOUSE

I love the concept of growing your own food and doing so in spaces where there is no land to garden in.  That is why hydroponic gardening has become so popular.  It allows you to grow without needing soil.  As long as you have some hard surface to put the hydroponic system in then you are can pretty much grow anywhere.  I was intrigued by this theory and even more so by a company called Gotham Greens.  They basically grow lettuce, kale, bok choy, arugula, basil and various other produce in their hydroponic rooftop green house in New York and Chicago.  They then sell what they grow to local restaurants and retailers.  So essentially those who eat their product can do so without feeling guilty about what they are feeding themselves.  As they say their food is "responsibly produced".  Not to mention it is a part of rooftop gardening and creates endless possibilities.  The below video is an interview (not by me) done with the founders that explain more about their business and how it works. 



As I talk about hydroponics I wonder if any of you have some sort of hydroponic system in your gardens?  If you do then comment on here and share you stories.

FUNKY YET NEAT ROOFTOP GARDEN

I am still obsessed with trying to someday get the client that needs me to design a rooftop garden. My mother has a flat roof in her house but she has already rejected my idea and called me crazy. Mom is right about the crazy part. So anyhoo I saw this on the inhabitat website and thought it was cool and fun.

Essentially this architect built a funky green roof in Amsterdam. The project is recently completed and ready for move in. The idea was that each of the 10 units would have access to light and the exterior of the building. Click here for the full article.

LIVING WALLS AND ROOF TOP GARDENS

Someday I will get the chance to design a garden that allows me to go up the walls and the roof. It'll be the ultimate living wall or roof top garden. But what exactly are they and how is it beneficial? Living walls essentially means that you plant on a vertical structure while in roof top gardens you plant literally on the rooftop. It is a perfect concept for those that do not have any actual land to garden in. You could even use the Wooly Pockets to create living walls. Whether you plant a vine on the wall or something more unique it is often best to do your homework and actually have a drawing so that you know what will and will not work for the space that you have allotted. The same could be said about roof top gardens. You should also keep in mind that you might have regulatory restrictions. Hopefully you won't.


What if the roof top garden became an edible garden while the living wall was just merely decorative? Your options are endless. Imagine the possibilities. I surely will try the living wall concept in my condo but the roof top garden may not sit well with my hoa.