Prairie planting terrace

Grasses and bold colour on a garage roof.

A garden built on top of a garage, where the soil is thin and shallow. The theme was grasses and bold colour.

The brief

Create a full, generous planted terrace on very little soil depth, alongside the path to the house and in view from the rooms above.

What we did

Wide stone paving and steps run beside the planted bed, with clipped standard trees in pots marking the way in. Every plant was chosen to cope with shallow roots, full sun and wind.

The planting

Bronze and blonde grasses form the base, lit up with echinacea, spiky architectural plants and lime-green foliage, so the bed moves in the breeze and holds its colour from summer into autumn.

Project details

• Garden: Roof garden over a garage

• Conditions: Thin, shallow soil

• Theme: Grasses and bold colour