The terrace garden is an urban setting. Today, homes with compounds, lawns and yards are eradicating. In urban cities and towns, multi-store buildings are replacing such homes. As a result, the private home gardens are disappearing, and the only places left for gardening are roofs, terraces and balconies.
With the proper allocation of resources like adequate water supply, shade for the plants and a shred of sunlight, a terrace gardener should also consider the following:
1.Suitable Environment on the Terrace
Before starting a terrace garden, the first thing to do is to check whether the roof surface can bear the weight of the soil. Purchase lightweight garden soil mix online. Avoid building terrace gardens on structures that have shown signs of weakness and structural damage. A suitable place for a terrace garden should be made on the rooftop of a substantial building or a house constructed with load-bearing floors.
2.Waterproofing and Proper Drainage System
Waterproof the roof or the place allotted for gardening to prevent seepage of water into the room under it. This complete waterproofing civil work is necessary and cannot be avoided. The terrace should have adequate drainage so that rain and irrigation water drain off swiftly. If the plantation is to be done directly on the terrace floor, it is preferable to install drainage cells and geotextile membrane before setting up the layer of soil. I also recommend installing a drip irrigation system, rather than watering the plants by conventional methods.
3.Container Gardening
Installing a proper terrace drain-cell system can be an expensive occurrence. You can always lay out a series of containers holding soil such as pots, boxes, troughs, tubs, drums and many more. Study on container gardening pots & planters and make appropriate arrangements. These containers are placed over slaps or bricks to maintain a clear gap between them and the roof for proper drainage and passage of air.
4.Be Creative
It's your garden, show your creativity and bring in variation not only in plants but also in terms of decoration and the set up made on the terrace or the balcony. Use different types of containers and ensure it is environment friendly and green in the true sense by using recycled containers. Coconut shells, kitchen utensils, bamboo baskets, broken buckets, avoid using non-eco-friendly items however use anything that can be useful for bringing the variety.
Grow something useful as well as decorative. I recommend growing climbers and trailers in the garden as it is easy and doesn't acquire much space.
5.Choosing of Plants
Take small steps and start with something you are familiar and confident in. If you want to grow vegetables then start with the ones that grow fast and don't require much effort, like fenugreek, gram, chili, coriander, spinach, etc. Once you have gained enough confidence then you can choose to grow anything, even the fruits or vegetables of your choice. Grow something useful as well as decorative. I recommend growing climbers and trailers in the garden as it is easy and doesn't acquire much space.
6.Vertical Gardening
On a terrace, the space available for gardening might be limited, thus it is recommended to try vertical gardening. This is one of the reasons why a terrace garden enthusiast should use more climbers and trailers in the garden.
The climbers can grow over a supporting pillar, or an ornamental arch while some of them can rampantly spill over the top of the boundary wall and hand down the side of the building camouflaging the entire wall. Ficus repens is a widely famous climber that can cover the wall. Other attractive creepers include Railway creeper, Climbing Roses, Thunbergia, Bougainvillea and much more.
Hanging pots play a significant role in the terrace garden. Purchase hanging pots online or if you are living in Bengaluru, you can visit the Lalbagh Botanical Garden where you can purchase a variety of plants for your terrace. Various types of baskets either containing flowering or foliage plants can be displayed at suitable places decoratively.
Thus, by considering all these important points you can set up your terrace garden in an innovative way and with a proper system.
