Roofs & Rambles

Inspecting a green roof for a client the other day in London, I chanced upon an intrepid sole, who unbeknown to the management team of the estate had been doing a little urban farming of his own.The green roofs in question are simple single-layered sedum blankets. The ‘lightest’ you can buy. They have been in place for over 8 years and prove the point that a single layer of sedum blanket on rockwool SHOULD not be installed, especially in SE England. However that is another story. Perched on the cherry picker I noticed tuck away besides a ventilation shaft what appear to be the ears of maize pointing to sky in a custom made ‘raised’ bed.

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Only closer inspection the little surreptitious plot contain a wild range of produce: beetroot, cabbage, lettuce and even a few carnations obviously to decorate the table for the home grown feast.

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The plot was only a few metres from the person’s designated green roof garden. This too was a vision of localised agriculture, including a lovely sweet pea. Running across the ‘actual’ green roof was a piece of yellow twine. This twine was an attempt to get the Sweet pea to migrate over the green roof and to produce even more peas than the little plot on his balcony could produce.

But the intrepid soul had also shrewdly and secretly started a pumpkin and courgette plot in the concrete gutter between the real green roof and his balcony.

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Obviously there associated are some health and safety issues associated with this little bit of urban food growing and I doubt it will have much effect on food miles, but you have to admire the person’s endeavour and industry.

A small farm high above in south London.