Extensive vegetation

The vegetation of a green roof is the final result of our work and financial efforts in order to have a green island on the building where we live or work.

Besides the environmental and financial advantages of an ecological roof, the aesthetics has also an important role. The entire structure of the green roof design, the drainage/filtration and the quality of the substrate must ensure the optimal conditions for plants that inhabit and populate for decades our green roof or terrace.

When choosing plants, we must follow several mandatory criteria for an optimal outcome. First of all we have to determine what kind of green roof system will be built: extensive green roof system, semi-intensive or intensive. Another important issue is the climate and microclimate of the site, because these plants should not only survive but also have a healthy and vigorous development. In case of an extensive green roof, we should choose plants resistant to variations in temperature, extreme conditions, frost, lack of rainfall, drought, wind, acid rain, etc.

Different species of sedum, wild grasses are ideal for an extensive green roof, but can be also combined with many types of flowering plants to reach really spectacular results.

Sedum, fat grass, the dark stonecrop from the family of Crassulaceae is ideal for extensive green roof systems. These are succulent plants, what means that they are able to store water, for example sedum retains water in its leaves.

Sedum also has very shallow roots, suitable for the limited thickness of the substrate of extensive green roofs. Compared to other plants, sedum has relatively small nutrient needs, infections or diseases are extremely rare and a real important characteristic is its resistance to drought. Sedum has a self-regulating metabolism and it invigorates right after getting a small amount of moisture.

To increase the aesthetic impact of extensive green roofs, very often sedum is planted together with different species of perennials which can survive on thin (4-6 cm) and medium substrates (6-10 cm); they are adapted to arid areas, having the ability of storing water in their tissues.

Some perennials that are able to survive on green roofs having a 10-15 cm thick substrate:

There are several planting or sowing methods for the extensive vegetation, but the most effective is using rolls. This way we can save money and time!

Sowing or planting sedum pieces which can later root in the ground, is appearantly a less costly procedure.

But the irrigation and the maintenance until plants reach maturity, exceeds several times the cost of roll vegetation. These rolls already provide a covering of over 95 % of the surface and are immediately resistant to rainfall. In case of sowing a serious rain can compromise the entire plantation.

The Sempergreen Company is world leader in the production of vegetation blankets for green roofs.

With a great experience in landscaping and construction of green roofs, our company is ready to help you choosing the right type of ecological roof and vegetation for your construction.

For the selection of plants that will form the vegetation of a green roof or a living wall, qualified and experienced horticulturists and landscape engineers are advising us. Plants recommended by us are suitable for the climatic conditions of the site. Further maintenance of these green roof is done promptly and with maximum professionalism, so we promise that you’ll have an aesthetic, healthy and viable green roof.

Your ecological roof can be an extensive one, planted with sedum or ferns, or an intensive garden with grasses, perennials, shrubs and even high trees. We also use vegetation rolls developed for green roof systems, but grass can be also sown with seed mixtures, and for immediate results even trays fitted with matured plants can be installed. For any questions, please contact us!