World's Biggest Green Roof

by Doug
(Somewhere Out in Lake Ontario)

The world's biggest green roof was just built in California (where else?). It used 1.7 million plants (I would have like to have had that plant sale in my nursery days) :-)

Plants included 9 native plant species: 4 perennials (Fragaria chiloensis, Armeria maritima, Prunella vulgaris and Sedum spathulifolium) and 5 annuals (Eschscholzia californica, Lupinus bicolor, Lasthenia californica, Plantago erecta and Layia platyglossa).

The plants were grown in porous biodegradable trays and then installed on the roof tiles. Everything locks in together to start and then as the trays degrade, the plant roots will intertwine.

It was done at the California Academy of Sciences building in Carmel.