Reading your bio, I can't imagine you would want preplanted sedums - ones that are not cultivars you picked out yourself. But for a business, what a cool and easy quick solution!

The lightweight material I suspect would limit the plant species used: only the most drought resistant, like cactus, semps and sedums. Unfortunately, don't have any sources.

We have one member in our Rock Garden Society who does have a green shed roof. Don't know what medium they used, but their species are much more diverse: sedum, sempervivum, dianthus, talinum, penstemon, etc.-alpines. It's complete with a small carved wooden goat. Most excellent. Anyone that may be coming to the central region Conifer Society meeting (June 24-26,2005) in Minneapolis will have a chance to see it.

Rick

Hey, sounds like just the spot for roof iris, Iris tectorum!
Unfortunately, I didn't find them to be hardy here when I tried them a couple of times in the past - maybe zone 4 though?

Even if they didn't bloom, the foliage of the Japanese Roof Iris is quite pleasing. Iris tectorum is hardy in zone 4a where I am, but doubt if it would be on a roof here. I had thought hard if there were any iris of any kind on my member friend's roof, but couldn't picture any. So I left it off the list. Even in zone 4 NH, I don't think tectorum would be roof hardy. A good, hardy pumila or setosa might do well, even though setosa prefers more moisture.

Zone envy, you, ABgardeneer to grow Japanese roof iris at all, me to grow it on a roof.

Funny thing about tectorum. I had the straight species and the alba form. A few years back in another snowless winter, the species croaked, and the alba was happy as a clam (I mean iris). Isn't Iris tectorum native to Japan AND Korea? I wonder if the alba was of Korean providence, and the species plant I had was of Japan(and less hardy).

Rick

P.S. Sorry about hijacking your thread, Ginger.

Rick and ABGardener-
Thanks for your answers. I found mention of a sedum mat today trade-named "RoofRug" by a US company. It was mentioned on their site in a paragraph describing installations, but is no where else on their site. I e-mailed them asking about sedum varieties, dimensions, cost, etc. and am waiting for a reply. Other than that, no dice. This is a product readily available in Europe.

Most greenroofs are engineered to the point that they are un-doable w/o a lot of $$$and expertise. I'd like to figure out a simple, DIY methos. I am trying to experiment on my own garden shed roof, will be taking digital photos to record the installation and maintenance over a year or so. If successful, I would like to add the sedum roof to the services we offer in my gardening business. This would be greenroofing primarily for aesthetic purposes, for wildlife, and perhaps for insulation if the small building were a studio or other building that is heated or cooled.

In looking at the many photos of greenroofs on the WWW, I find that aesthetically I only like the low groundcover plantings for the application I have in mind. Other plants look too weedy. Also, sedums are comparatively low-maintenace and can withstand drought.

If the pre-planted mat works out, my next effort would be to set up my own system of moisture barriers and soil/medium layers, then plant with perhaps a single variety of sedum.

Anyway, the sedum mat seemed like a nifty idea. Hope I can locate a source somewhere.

I think roof iris would be a bit more fussy than sedums--needs more water, fleshier, heavier root system, hardiness is in question--you don't see it around here, Whereas sedums last forever here - they like benign neglect. Just right for a difficult-to-tend roof garden. Might be nice to try a few along the gutter edge, though.

Rick-
Does your fellow Rock Garden member have photos of his or her roof posted on the internet anywhere? I would like to see it. Sounds like Heidi's grandfather's cottage.

Ginger

My roof growing (?) friends do not have a computer. And silly me, last time I was there I didn't have a camera. But in June I will be there for sure, and get lots of pics of that and other things I'll be posting. But it is a shed in the truist sense. No paint, very rustic.
Rick

Rick-
Thanks for the response. I will look forward to seeing the photos. Nice thread you started on troughs--maybe this will be the year I actually make a hypertufa.
G.

Wonder how iris cristata would go on a roof. It is exceptionally fast growiing in the ground here.

Marie