Can I make a terrace or roof garden?
Three things you will need – if you don’t have these it’s a non-starter.
•Space outside that belongs to you and you are allowed to use. (Check the deeds of your property.)
•The space needs to be load bearing or can be reinforced to be load bearing.
•You will need to have access to the space – possibly through a door or window.
Can I have a roof garden if my roof is pitched?
It’s easier to make a usable space if the roof is flat but even if you have a pitched roof it’s not impossible to make a garden outside. One way is to cut into the roof to make a flat space – a kind of inverted dormer.
What else might stop me having a terrace or roof garden?
Planning and building regulations. Always ask your local planning department before you start. The Royal Town Planning Institute says roof gardens usually require planning consent if they overlook other properties or if the creation of the terrace includes the building of substantial walls or major work such as installing an additional staircase; there may also be other issues specific to your space, so it’s always best to check.
Where’s the best place to start?
Look at this book, obviously, but also I would ask an architect with experience in roof gardens to have a look and give you an idea of the feasibility of what you have in mind. Specialist firms such as the Urban Roof Gardens team include architects and structural engineers with huge experience in this area.
How do you begin the design of the terrace or roof garden?
One thing we ask: do you want the space connected completely to the house because it is an outside room and visually linked to the house, or do you go for the unexpected? Away from ground level you may feel freer to express yourself, so the design can be liberated from restrictions. Also ask yourself what you want from the roof or terrace and how you will use it. Questions like: will you go out or just view it? Do you want wildlife and greenery or a smart outdoor room?
Can I have a proper garden with plants and trees?
Usually planting is in containers or raised beds and these can be big enough to contain trees, the main restriction will be on weight. Planting can also be grown directly onto the roof using a lightweight growing medium – this is common in ‘green roofs’ (see Chapter 10).
Caroline Tilston, Rooftop & Terrace Gardens, Garden Style Guides, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2008