Garden is an embellished area with plants. The importance of gardening has been well understood by every individual. The gardens not only serve as a place of recreation, it also serves as a place for education by the way of establishing a home garden or botanical gardens. The art of creating the greenery and maintaining the greenery is known as “Roof Gardening”. This is also known as Terrace gardening. The existing roof top can be effectively utilized for growing fruit plants, vegetables, spices, homestead medicinal plants, flower plants and ornamental plants. The population explosion occurs every day resulted in the migration of peoples from rural areas to urban areas for income generation. Due to migration of peoples most of the agriculture lands are converted into residential areas, resulted with decreased production of fruits and vegetables. This can be circumvented by kitchen gardening and roof gardening.
In urban areas, due to escalating population, more land area is brought under the construction of houses; therefore there is hardly any space for growing vegetables. Especially in multistoried buildings, roof gardening is the only way to grow fruits and vegetables by using the pots and containers. This practice is known as container gardening. Psychiatrist recommends that working in garden refresh the body and mind by reliving harsh stresses. Gardens become the integral part of the family life benefited by the supply of toxic free fresh fruits and vegetables.
Benefit of roof gardening
- Roof gardening are energy efficient
Green roofs reduce the heat flux through the roof, and less energy for cooling or heating can lead to significant cost savings. Shading the outer surface of the building envelope has been shown to be more effective than internal insulation. In summer, the green roof protects the building from direct solar heat, while, in winter, the green roof minimizes heat loss through added insulation on the roof.
- Roof Gardening improve air quality
Plant leaves trap dust particles from the air, and evapotranspiration cools ambient temperatures.
- Roof Gardens/Green roofs can serve as habitat
As undisturbed areas, rooftops can serve as refuge for creatures that struggle for survival. Vegetated rooftop habitats can serve as stepping stones, to create corridors connecting other patches (roofscape or at grade) across an urban sea to natural habitats beyond the city. Natural habitats can serve as templates for green roofs designed for biodiversity. Low maintenance green roofs can be designed to serve as refuge for species such as ground-nesting birds.
- Roof Gardens/Green roofs last longer
Green roofs cover the waterproofing membrane, protecting it from UV rays and extreme daily temperature fluctuations. This protection extends the lifespan of the waterproofing twice as long as conventional roofing, meaning that membranes under green roofs last twice as long as those on traditional roofs. It reduced material waste from re-roofing.
- Job creation
A new industry represents a new market that will provide employment opportunities as- Supply and manufacture of roofing membranes and root repellent layers, drainage layers, landscaping cloth, curbs, irrigation systems and other specialty products. Supply and manufacture of substrate, light-weight soils and amendments, plants. Design and engineering professionals, contractors and landscapers; and companies supplying maintenance contracts.
Dr. Dhyal Singh
Department of Zoology
Uttaranchal (P.G.) College of Bio-Medical Sciences & Hospital