The Roof Is Alive... With Garden Gnomes?

As promised, work is completed on the living roof for our chicken palace. What once was a slight eye-sore as I peered into the forest from my bedroom window, is now a beautiful, magical sight. Once the foundation for a green roof was placed, a little gnome quickly came in and gardened the hell out of it!

It really is that simple.

First, I carefully secured a tarp over the roof, making sure that no rainwater would penetrate. Then I nailed down an old, unused, stinky shaggy carpet. The carpet gives the soil and roots something to hold onto.

Finally, we dug up sod. (Or shall I say,

the gnome did.) First from our garden, a thick ground cover of chickweed. Then beautiful patches of mixed colors, height, and textures from around our yard- short grass, tall grass, dandelion, dead nettle, gill-over-the-ground, little pink flowers... plus some store bought perry winkle as well as english ivy that will hopefully secure itself and hang down the walls. There is even a little stone terrace!!

Though my reason for wanting a living roof on our chicken coop is aesthetic, green roofs are beneficial in many ways. They provide insulation and will create an air-conditioner effect inside a building...

But their perhaps most useful function is in cities where they create habitat for wildlife, absorb rainwater and help to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect.

You can create a green roof on any surface that does not have too much of a slant. You can garden the roof of your home, your barn, commercial building, even a skyscraper!!! You can also use your roof to grow food and medicine if you don't have much land or it is the only spot to get sun.

I must say, the gnome man and his gardened roof are a much welcomed addition to our home...

And he sure loves the view.

Images of the process to come.