Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Summer 2011 - (Page 31)
I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING SURROUNDED BY DENSE AND DIVERSE PLANTINGS — NOT THE REMARKABLE VIEWS — HAVE BEEN THE CHIEF JOY AFFORDED BY THE SPACE.
– Frederic C. Rich, Owner, Sky Island at the Visionaire
throughout the winter season. BPCA mandated four-inch spaces between the pavers. MKMLA removed many pavers entirely; calculations for the finished terrace area show a 32 percent increase in pervious surface area and retains 95 percent of annual rainfall. Manufactured growing media was specified throughout. MKMLA introduced organic growing media which was stabilized by mixing with a heavier growing media that had been previously placed on the terrace. Growing media stability was paramount on a terrace exposed to the windy New York Harbor; the lightest available growing mix required netting, not appropriate for active gardening, so MKMLA chose a midweight mix and planted immediately. EXTRAORDINARY PALETTE Due to Rich’s willingness to experiment and accept loss, the planting palette is comprised of 160 species of ornamental plant material with numerous urban farming opportunities interspersed throughout the landscape. The fruiting berries include Rubus Canadensis (Blackberry) varieties and Rubus idaeus (Raspberry) varieties, Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry), Fragaria (Strawberry) species, and four varieties of
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