People tend to think of green roofs as something for big city buildings. But even a small sedum roof on a bike store, bin store or shed can make a real difference to the wildlife in your garden. Here's what green roofs do for wildlife, and why we'd put one on every garden building if we could.
Food for pollinators
Sedums flower through the summer and cover the roof in small star-shaped flowers in yellow, white and pink. Bees feed on them, and so do hoverflies and butterflies. Plant a mix of sedum varieties and the flowering is spread over a longer season.
Shelter for insects and other wildlife
The low mat of plants and substrate gives spiders, beetles and other small creatures somewhere to shelter. Birds come to forage among the plants. A plain felt roof gives them none of this.
Slowing down rainwater
A green roof soaks up some of the rain that lands on it and lets the rest go more slowly, so your drains and gutters are under less pressure in a heavy downpour. Put a water butt under the run-off and you've got free water for the garden.
Protecting the building underneath
The plants shade the roof from strong sun and shield the waterproof layer from the weather, which can help it last longer. A green roof also softens the look of a garden building, so it sits more comfortably among the planting around it.
Making a bigger difference for wildlife
- Use a mix of sedum varieties for colour and a longer flowering season.
- Don't use pesticides or weedkillers on or around the roof.
- Plant drought-tolerant perennials that pollinators like in the borders nearby.
- In hot weather, leave a shallow dish of water out for birds and insects.
Start your own green roof
We grow our sedum on our family farm in Lincolnshire. You can choose one of our bike and log stores with a living roof already on it, or ask us about a made-to-measure green roof for a building you already have. Custom green roofs start from £45 per square metre, and we deliver and install them in Lincolnshire only. Our step-by-step green roof guide shows how the layers fit together.