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Shed rooftop planting

ruthbpruthbp Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi I’m looking for suggestions for what to plant in this, my husband has made this up for me and I would like something pretty to grow.  It’s just under 3 inches deep and has waterproof membrane down with a few holes poked in for some drainage.  It gets some sunlight but not masses of direct sun.. 


Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,030
    I did something similar with sedums and saxifrages but a lot of alpines would be happy in there.

    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 781
    If it’s quite shady sedums might not be too happy? You could try some of the shade loving ferns, RHS suggest Polypodium vulgare and Asplenium trichomanes for green roofs in shade.
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 50,133
    Sedums will be fine. I have quite a few of the small ones and they're shaded for quite a lot of the day. I have some of the big ones in shade too.
    Saxifrages will also be fine, and things like alpine Phlox and Arabis.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,036
    wild edges said:
    I did something similar with sedums and saxifrages but a lot of alpines would be happy in there.

    That looks fantastic!
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,030
    Butterfly66 said:
    If it’s quite shady sedums might not be too happy?
    OP would have to pick the sedums carefully and ensure that they get plenty of drainage and ventilation but a lot of sedums will do well away from full sun given the right growing conditions. Sedum album and sedum rupestre would be a good start and some sedum spurium cultivars will also put on a good show in shadier conditions. I found with my roof though that I had to remove the upstand from the water-proof membrane to get sufficient drainage for them to thrive. You can see it turned down under the wood trim in the photo.
    Saxifrages might be a better choice though if it is very shady. Ones like London Pride or the mossy types like a bit of shade. The ones with variegated leaves are nice too.

    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • ruthbpruthbp Posts: 3
    wild edges said:
    I did something similar with sedums and saxifrages but a lot of alpines would be happy in there.

    That’s exactly what I was looking for.. looks lovely 😍
  • ruthbpruthbp Posts: 3
    wild edges said:
    Butterfly66 said:
    If it’s quite shady sedums might not be too happy?
    OP would have to pick the sedums carefully and ensure that they get plenty of drainage and ventilation but a lot of sedums will do well away from full sun given the right growing conditions. Sedum album and sedum rupestre would be a good start and some sedum spurium cultivars will also put on a good show in shadier conditions. I found with my roof though that I had to remove the upstand from the water-proof membrane to get sufficient drainage for them to thrive. You can see it turned down under the wood trim in the photo.
    Saxifrages might be a better choice though if it is very shady. Ones like London Pride or the mossy types like a bit of shade. The ones with variegated leaves are nice too.

    Thank you.. I might have to improve the draining a bit otherwise they may get a bit boggy 😳
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