The ‘cool roof garden’ trend taking over Indian apartments: Here's how to start one

As temperatures keep rising in the country, many people are coming up with some solutions that will help them deal with the extreme hot weather that has been experienced recently. Apartment owners have been able to find one particular solution to cope with the harsh conditions; this is known as a cool roof garden. The main purpose of these garden types is to enable one to cool their apartment through natural means. They involve growing vegetation in an attempt to minimize the amount of heat being absorbed in a building. Rooftop gardens can be found everywhere today; there is a chance that they might become the new trend in Indian cities in the coming years. Here are some tips on how to establish a cool roof garden in an apartment.

The concrete rooftops of apartments absorb a lot of heat during summer. The cool roof gardens enable one to minimize the amount of heat absorbed by his building through greenery. This practice has already become very common in some of the most populated cities in the country, including Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. In addition to their cooling properties, these gardens create beautiful spaces that enhance one's aesthetic feelings.

Some experts believe that one should begin a cool roof garden using some grow bags and lightweight recycled containers rather than heavy cement planters that are usually hard on the roof surface. One is advised to grow plants like portulaca, aloe vera, and bougainvillea since they can withstand a lot of heat and require minimal care. Beginning with such plants makes one familiarize with his gardening conditions easily.

Vertical gardening techniques have made it possible for one to grow plants even in small apartments. There are lots of vertical gardening solutions that include growing plants against railings, hanging from racks, and placing plants on shelves. In other words, vertical gardening enables people to grow more plants within a smaller area. In addition, apartment gardeners often use hanging planters and recycled bottle planters in order to grow vertically without spending much money.

One has to ensure that the rooftop waterproofing is done properly before starting a cool roof garden. Watering and moisture are harmful for rooftops as they can damage them after some time. In order to prevent these issues, apartment owners usually use waterproof sheets, drainage mats, and raised containers. Proper drainage is also required to prevent water stagnation during the monsoon season.

These days apartment gardeners do not plant only beautiful flowers. Many of them grow herbs like mint, coriander, and curry leaf plants. These plants are beneficial for home cooking and take up little space. Some gardeners plant such vegetables like chillies, tomatoes, brinjals, and spinach in their containers. In this way, the whole family can enjoy growing fresh foods on the rooftop garden.

Today many apartment owners are beginning to treat rooftop gardens not just as plants. For example, these gardens become ideal spaces for drinking tea, meditating, reading, having yoga classes, and meeting friends. Having cool roof gardens in apartments helps people relax and cool off from heat in comfort.