Roof Gardens Come in All Sizes, Shapes and Styles
There are tiny roof gardens and large expansive roof gardens. There are residential roof gardens and public roof gardens. Yes, there are retail roof gardens and industrial roof gardens as well. A roof garden or green roof, (tomato, tomatoe, potato, potatoe), it is still a planted green roof, and they are everywhere.
The problem that exists is that those who plant, install and manage those green rooftops are not being counted or exposed. They are up high, in most cases and out of the public’s eye, unless you are a taller neighbor. To my surprise, even driving through small town America I chanced upon a wonderful sight. It was one of the smaller roof gardens, I have seen to date. It is a small shed-like building located at Schultz Nursery and Garden Center in Danville, Illinois.
World's Smallest Public Rooftop Garden- Schultz Nursery and Garden Center, Danville, IL
Danville is known for many things, like Dick and Jerry Van Dyke, Gene Hackman and even some famous sports figures. But is Danville home to the world’s smallest, public, rooftop garden? That is what we want to know. It may be at this stage of the game. Hopefully Schultz will find out about our database and add their example to the list. It counts to me and it is absolutely worthy of being on the list.
As far as the largest, I have to give credit to Andrea Martinello of, N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd. “Specialized Growers and Wholesalers” who informed me that her firm grew the plugs for the (best of my knowledge) 6 acre green roof on the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Vancouver Convention Center 6 acre roof.
So there is a tiny public roof in Danville, Illinois, which is one of the smallest, along with one of our favorite, private and smallest roof gardens, even smaller than my Chicago roof garden of 400 feet and as featured on the blog 66squarefeet a 66 square foot version and there is the largest, Vancouver Convention Center at 6 acres. There is no excuse why you cannot have one now!
Just remember, a rooftop garden can not only range in size, but also in type and access. Whether public or private, commercial or residential, we are adding one rooftop garden at a time here at RoofTopGarden.com. Share this with a roof gardener you know and get them to put their roof on our database. (http://www.rooftopgarden.com/database)
There is no reason why they shouldn’t.
