A green roof is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system that is installed on top of a flat or slightly sloped roof.
Simple extensive green roof.
From a distance an extensive sedum roof can be mistaken for a grass field.
Any large slope or flat roof that s hard to reach makes a great area for this kind of vegetation as nature will take care of itself.
In many instances an extensive green roof can be a planning requisite and the ideal solution is the simplest lightweight sedum blanket system.
While redeveloping our house we decided to install a living roof on our kitchen roof why you ask.
The planting medium in extensive green roofs ranges from 1 6 to 6 inches deep and while deeper systems have been installed they are not favored as much as the shallower systems drought tolerant sedums succulent plants and grasses are the typical plants used since they are shallow rooted and use little water plant diversity on these roofs is kept low to simplify care and to be sure all plants have similar moisture requirements.
Besides the visual impact of an extensive green roof they also provide a natural habitat for birds and insects.
Although there are no precise definitions of them an extensive green roof has a shallow growing medium usually less than six inches with a modest roof load limited plant diversity minimal.
Vegetative roofs are divided into two categories.
Semi intensive system requires some maintenance from time to time.
To start with take a look at the most simple family of green roofs.
Build a living roof green roof.
I liked the idea of having a bit more greenery in the property we live.
With an extensive green roof vegetation is thinner 1 6 to five inches thick and lighter with appropriate plants that will make them low maintenance and self sustaining.
Extensive systems are for roof areas that are out of reach and not used for other purposes.
They fall into three main categories extensive intensive and semi intensive.
Extensive green roofs are generally made up of a very thin layer of soil or other planting medium with shallow root plants like sedum mosses and grasses.
Green roofs are also known as vegetative or eco roofs.
These are covered with low growing plants such as evergreen sedums.
These areas need appropriate vegetation that will make them low maintenance and self sustaining.
Other options are substrate based systems that are plug planted to the client s requirement or seeded for natural colonisation.
1 extensive vegetative roofs which are 6 inches or shallower and are frequently designed to satisfy specific engineering and performance goals and 2 intensive vegetative roofs which may become quite deep and merge into more familiar on structure plaza landscapes with promenades lawn large perennial plants and trees.