Articles
Planting Rooftops for Therapeutic Environments
Plants have long supported human health, with modern medicine using them in over half of pharmaceuticals. Recently, their biophilic benefits, like reducing stress and lowering blood pressure, have gained recognition in hospitals. This article explores a case study of an outdated medical center transformed with plants, including rooftop greenery, for therapeutic effects.
Rain Gardens as Living Stormwater Infrastructure: Planting the Rain Train
Rain gardens offer multifunctional stormwater management, integrating native plants to mitigate urban runoff. By mimicking natural water cycles, they complement traditional infrastructure, fostering resilience and biodiversity in urban landscapes.
Recovering Green Roofs to Feed Native Birds
Bird populations are an indicator of ecosystem health. Birds are in decline worldwide primarily due to the destruction and degradation of their habitat by humans. By design, green roofs can be planted to feed and shelter birds. This article reviews how green roofs have been planted to recover habitats for feeding birds.
Re-innovating Green Roofs for Biodiversity: Seven Steps
To maximize ecosystem services, green roofs are being planted with greater plant diversity to better support biodiversity. This article looks at seven steps to re-innovate green roofs for biodiversity.
Planting Green Roofs For Extreme Heat and Drought
Identifying plants that naturally adapt to heat and drought stress in any biogeographic region may be as simple as visiting a nature preserve. In this article learn how plants, native to glades, barrens and alvars may harbor a variety of species that thrive on green roofs with only marginal use of water. These “habitat templates” can inform which plants might survive extreme climate events (like El Ninos), even on green roofs.
Designing Green Roofs for Dragonflies
Discover how to design biodiverse green roofs that attract and support dragonflies. Learn about the importance of water, stones, and flowering plants in creating dragonfly habitats on green roofs. Explore case studies and expert insights.
Natives for Nutrition and Healing: Green Roof Plants with a Purpose
K-12 schools, universities and local businesses are great places to have edible and healing rooftop plants which provide a wide variety of educational and edible benefits. Take a tour of these diverse projects and learn what they have to offer.
Planting Green Roofs with Native Shrubs
Explore opportunities to incorporate shrubs into your future green roof designs - what to look for and what to watch out for - in this latest offering from Bruce Dvorak.
Water and Plants for Wet, Mesic, or Xeric Green Roofs
This article explores several seasoned green roofs where designers selected plants for their preferences for wet to dry habitats. Plants that thrive in wet, mesic, or xeric (dry) conditions can be employed on green roofs to perform a range of integrated building functions such as energy conservation, micro-climate mitigation, or cleaning of wastewater.
Grasses: Living Roofs for Native Pollinators Part III
When designing a living roof for a particular kind of habitat for wildlife, it is important to know that some forms of wildlife (i.e., specialists) are dependent upon a specific species of grass for its development while generalists can be served by multiple species of grasses.
Wildflowers: Planting Living Roofs for Native Pollinators Part II
Want to help pollinators? This article provides you with the reasons for supporting pollinators as well as detailed information of families of plants that can support a wide range of pollinators across North America on green roofs.
Planting Living Roofs for Native Pollinators (Part I: Sedums)
Green roofs can recover space for pollinators in dense urban environments, where native ecosystems once persisted. This article is the first of several that will focus on the unique role of living roofs made for the preservation of native pollinators - looking at Sedums in particular.
Four Approaches to Making Living Roofs With Native Plants
There is a great potential for and an essential role for making green roofs with native plants. If conservation practices are not taking place at the ground level, or if the native plant communities have already been significantly altered, then living roofs may provide a last chance to support the ecological heritage of the region. This article explores four approaches to make living roofs with native plants.
Designing and Planting Climate Resilient Green Roofs
Through the use of tactics and strategies found in nature, green roofs can be designed to adapt to the inevitable cycles and stresses that climate can impose. This overview of ecosystem approaches shows how green roofs can be planted and designed for resilience, especially in hot, arid climates.
Exceptional Green Roofs from the West
Howdy! so goes a proper greeting from Texas. I am honored to step into this column and continue the conversation about plants for green roofs. In this inaugural issue of LAM’s new and revamped all online format, I will discuss how green roofs can also undergo editing and revamping of the plant palette over time, using examples from the Western US.