Category Archives: Ornamental Shrubs

Après le déluge

Posted on September 1, 2011 by

Plants on rooftop gardens are far more exposed to the elements than their ground-level cousins.   With Hurricane Irene heading directly for lower Manhattan, it was alarming to hear the experts explain that 75 mph winds at ground level translated to … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Failures, Malabar Spinach, Nectarines, Peaches, Photos, Roses, Structure, The Visionaire, Tomatoes, Weather | 4 Comments

Beets and Berries for Breakfast

Posted on July 26, 2011 by

When we eat from the industrial food system, we generally plan our meals in advance, or simply cruise the refrigerator.   With roof-top agriculture, one starts each meal with no pre-conceptions about the menu.  Instead, meal preparation starts with a pleasant … Continue reading →

Posted in Beets, Berries, Blackberries, Cooking and Eating, Meals and Menus, Ornamental Shrubs, Roses | Leave a comment

Have a seat . . .

Posted on June 29, 2011 by

One of the unexpected pleasures of BRTG is the unusual experience of being seated in close proximity to plants.  In most ground-level gardens, we experience plants as part of an over-all composition, such as a border, or only momentarily, as we pass … Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Non-edible Perennials, Ornamental Plants, Ornamental Shrubs, Parsley, Photos | 1 Comment

Fall Colors on the Roof

Posted on October 28, 2010 by

So far so good.  The Alpines in the “Secret Garden” survived the summer.  Sedum album ‘Coral Carpet,’ below, puts on a brilliant fall display. The Stewartia, also a risky move for a green roof, seems to have survived the heat, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpines in the Secret Garden, Blueberries, Design, Non-edible Perennials, Ornamental Shrubs, Ornamental Trees, Photos, Secret Garden | Leave a comment

The Secret Garden

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

Tucked in the extreme south east corner of the Battery Roof-top Garden is the Secret Garden, a refuge separated from the rest of the garden, with a cozy bench for two, oriented to the view over Battery Park and Brooklyn … Continue reading →

Posted in Alpines in the Secret Garden, Design, Non-edible Perennials, Ornamental Shrubs, Photos, Secret Garden | 1 Comment

Callicarpa — Beautyberry

Posted on September 27, 2010 by

Anyone who doubts that Callicarpa (“Beautyberry”) will thrive on a green roof, need only have a glance below.   On the Battery Roof-top Garden, this handsome specimen of Callicarp dichotoma (Early Amethyst Beautyberry), separates the main cocktail area from the Secret … Continue reading →

Posted in Ornamental Plants, Ornamental Shrubs, Secret Garden | Leave a comment