Trying again for suggestions for pots on my roof

wrightt

Pots are 1m tall 40cm x 40cm, black and very light weight. They will not blow of the roof as they will be bolted down. they will not be heavy when filled as the lower 0.5 to 0.7 will be filled with polystyrene. The soil will be 50x 50 with vermiculite. They will have a drip system attached to them. All I want is suggestions as to what to put in the 5 of them. I want something tallish, evergreen and fairly low maintenance as I only intend to walk on the roof twice a year and yes decking is being placed around the roof as the roof is put on the building so that I can walk around it without damaging the roof.  Anyone got a balcony? what do you grow on it?

Fairygirl

I can't think of anything either - even bamboos and grasses need watering. If half the pot is filled with polystyrene, it leaves very little room for nutrition, so shrubs would struggle long term - in act, anything long term would struggle.  I can only think of making a frame of trellis or similar,  and planting ivy 

I'm concerned about the fact the pots are bolted down. Is there a gap for water to drain away? 

wrightt

Yes there will be a gap under the pots for drainage and they will have an automatic drip system so watering will not be a problem

Last edited: 15 February 2017 17:53:40

wrightt

I forgot to say I can feed the plants twice a year if needed. So a slow release feed should work.

Fairygirl

Anything of size will have a biggish root system though. There isn't going to be much soil medium for it to go down into, which means the roots will be in air, or they 'll go round in circles and become pot bound  

Topbird

I'm not trying to sound rude or condescending but - if you're only planning to visit the roof twice a year - why do you want plants up there which you need to maintain?

If it's as a backdrop for an occasional drinks party or such like I'd consider Phillipa's suggestion of artificial plants.

I was outside a restaurant recently which had large planters containing plastic buxus. They formed a screen about 4 - 5' tall around outdoor diners and, presumably, was intended to provide an element of privacy and shelter. They had tiny LED lights strung through (the sort of thing you have round the mantel piece at Christmas) and actually looked rather pretty.

Last edited: 15 February 2017 18:25:12