The Roof Garden

garden@risc.org.uk

Introduction

Story of the Roof Garden

Credits: people behind the project

Visits: Schools and Groups

Open days and Volunteers

Photo Albums:
Peter Savage Garden Photography

Construction

Plants

Vistas

The Story of the roof garden

The original flat roof covering the rear of RISC's building had become run down, and as well as requiring repair; it also was insufficiently insulated for both heat and sound. This in itself was not enough to attract the necessary funds, so a bigger scheme was hatched: The Growing our Futures project and the roof was transformed.

The bare roof winter 2001/2, and looking across the same roof one year later.

This program was developed to both design and install the garden, with the help of a team of volunteers and to employ an education worker to oversee its continued development. This broader aim successfully attracted a grant from SEED (the lottery's environment fund) and the Environment Trust for Berkshire (via landfil tax). So as well as fixing and insulating the roof RISC suddenly had this amazing new space to work with.

Click on image for a high res PDF version
	Work began in March 2002 and the roof was resealed, insulated for heat loss and noise reduction
	A special drainage layer for the garden was installed.
	The main part of the work was completed May 2002 and work on garden completed by May 2004.
	Volunteers planting the garden, May 2002

The garden is fed by rain water stored in tanks below the roof, where it is filtered and pumped around the garden in a water efficient irrigation system. The pumps and automatic timers for the watering system are mostly powered by the renewable energy installation on the roof, comprising of a small wind generator and an array of solar electric panels (photovoltaic).

The garden itself is designed to evolve into a mixed forest system with a wide variety of useful plants, with a strong focus on perennial herbs, shrubs and trees. There are already over 120 species of plants from around the world, with medicinal, herbal, edible and all sorts of other uses. Complimenting this there is also an organic veg garden and greenhouse where the focus is on producing fresh salds and herbs for the Global Cafe downstairs. In turn the garden is fed by composted veg peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds from the cafe and staff kitchen.

Now we are four years into the project and the garden has to be seen to really appreciate how much it has flourished. It is attracting increasing amounts of attention from the public and we are regularly hosting visits from schools and other community groups. It won an award from Britian in Bloom as the most innovative garden, has been recognised as a Reading Heritage site and is a member of the prestigeous National Gardens Scheme.