Hello Friends,

We hope you're all enjoying the summer gardens. We want to highlight the unique beauty, and design principles of rooftop gardens. At Hawthorne Garden Design no urban space is too small to be enjoyed or designed, and we specialize in maximizing space in rooftop areas while simultaneously weaving together a rich array of plants with complementary textures and bloom times.

Framing Views

For smaller spaces, especially rooftop gardens, design is critical. Rooftop gardens center around framing views, establishing focal points of the space, and softening the area with the appropriate plants and garden furniture. While some may want three sides of their roof blocked off and covered for privacy, others may enjoy a mixture between open views and plant screening as the "walls" for their rooftop space.

In this garden we wanted to block off the side with neighboring buildings so we opted for a row of bamboo to soften the feel of this urban rooftop and move the eye toward the sweeping views of downtown. Since bamboo is an invasive species we never plant it in the ground, only in planters. It is a tough plant that performs well in containers and stays green year-round so it's a great option for a rooftop like this. We also installed irrigation underneath the roof tiles to make it "invisible" and ensure consistent watering of the plant material.  Plants in containers, and especially on rooftop decks, need consistent watering as these urban spaces often suffer from the urban heat island effect (they absorb and hold heat longer). 

Custom Woodwork

While some people may want to use trees or plants to create privacy in rooftop spaces, we also can use custom woodwork to "hide" and beautify existing walls. In this garden we custom-built panels of wood on top of the brick wall to create a serene spa-like rooftop setting. The panels are also back lit with hundreds of little LED lights that give them a soft glow in the evenings. The wood colors adds depth and texture to an otherwise flat wall, while the sections of panels serve to visually create layers of space.

In this garden we created different levels with this custom deck or "living room". The elevated area separates the sitting area and gives these clients a cozy spot to read or enjoy their view. Adding the right planters and plantings brought it to a new level and created the space my client was hoping for.

We hope these rooftop gardens have inspired you. And, even if you don't have a rooftop garden, we can still frame your views, maximize your green/ outdoor space, and play with different plants and textures. 

Photos by Jeninifer Packard