Living Roof

The roof over our screened porch has been waiting for months to receive its covering.  Finally the day arrived when Southeast GreenRoofs made the delivery.  Glorious pallets of a variety of sedum plants have been placed onto the waterproof membrane.  The pallets make it easy to install a field of plants fully grown and filled out.  Easy, except for the intense July heat radiating off of the black rubber.  Happily, the requirement for a thorough watering came in the form of an afternoon shower - the first rain in two weeks. How perfectly timed!

This type of roof has several benefits.  One, of course, is the beauty.  Another is the value of temperature moderation.  It acts as an insulator for the space below.  With the heat and humidity in the South, we are hoping it will make the porch a more comfortable location to enjoy.  As the plants continue to mature, there should be a few tendrils that manage to grow over the edge.  If you are wondering about maintenance - yes, there will be some, but we were created in a garden and I count it joy to continue to tend and keep a garden, whether in my heart or on the roof!