That's Melbourne

I returned home from NYC inspired. I was on a mission to find out just what existed amongst the rooftops of my own city.

Was I naïve in not knowing exactly what was out there in terms of green roofs? Or was it that just not many existed. As it turns out, the latter was correct. 

In July 2010 (about the same time I was in New York coincidently) one of Melbourne’s first rooftop gardens opened. 131 Queen Street was where it was at!

In 2008, the City of Melbourne’s Future Focus Group set out with an initiative through ‘Growing Up’ – the concept of introducing green roofs to the Melbourne business community.

The design aspect of the competition called on landscape architects and architects to design green roofs for one or more of three short listed buildings. The most sustainable and innovative green roof design would then come to life on the winning building.

(image source www.projectlink.com.au/news/retrofitted-green-roof-launched-at-131-queen-street-melbourne)

The garden has a gazebo and BBQ area, low maintenance herb garden and small plants including lavender, a lemon tree, olives and strawberries. The roof cannot bear larger trees because of the weight. A volunteer gardener (with help from the building management team) looks after the garden.

 (image source www.blog.selector.com/au/2010/08/31/a-new-green-roof-in-melbournes-cbd/)

This reaffirmed my love for my City. Is Melbourne on board the green roof train? Had they awakened to the significant environmental benefit that comes with green roofs? There are the biodiversity and social significance as well as greater issues, such as storm water management and reducing the temperature in warmer months (due to commercial offices buildings whose makeup consists mainly of glass, steele and concrete that retain radiate extreme amounts of heat.

So whilst it is not quite the edible rooftop gardens that I as hoping to stumble across in my city, it was a start. Perhaps the stepping stones to something bigger and better (and edible).

Happiness up above...

So as I continued along my merry way through the Big Apple, I was kept visually stimulated with the cities uniqueness in both architecture – which was epic in proportions, and also the greeneries that was squeezed in amongst the abundance of concrete. We’re spoilt for space here in Melbourne when you really think about it. We just need to make better use of it, especially with the every growing population.

Just a couple of subway stops, under the Hudson River, is Brooklyn. We were invited by friends to visit a market one Sunday morning in bustling Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It delivered more than an ordinary market - it was the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm. We had yet again, discovered across another blissful garden up above. It was an edible garden – with a view.

A group of local residents teamed up and gathered council approval for a communal vegetable garden on the rooftop of old industrial building transferring it into a thriving 6,000-square-foot farm. And with initiative and commitment, so begun this wonderful edible rooftop gardens.

With Manhattan as a backdrop, the garden has been growing delights such as kale, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, peas and herbs since April 2009, on 100 tons of soil that he hauled up to the roof by crane.

Volunteer farmers maintain the garden and it also sells produce to local restaurants eager to use homegrown food. In return, many local cafés have given their used coffee grounds to make compost.

Sure Melbourne have places like CERES and Veg Out St Kilda in terms of Community Gardens. But nothing like I came across in Brooklyn and Manhattan. And so it continues, with an additional influence (mainly because it is edible) my quest to bring such a happy green space to Melbourne, up above.

sky high...

It was nearly two years ago that I traveled to New York to stay with some close friends. The concrete jungle, where dreams are made of, in the City the never sleeps!

So here I was in Manhattan. Was I overwhelmed? Yes. My first impressions were that this city was huge, nothing like I had seen before. The cliché movie scenes were everywhere. Yellow Taxi’s. Diners. Bagels. Star spangled flags. Broadway. Was I impressed? Somewhat. For the first two weeks, although enjoyable, I just didn't get what it was that set this City apart from the rest, what all the hype was about. Yes it was the city that never sleeps – in a concrete jungle that radiated the summer heat like I’ve never felt before. I knew something had to give; something had to blow me away. And it did. It was The High Line.

The High Line is a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It is amazing. It is an aerial greenway that in my view is pure genius. The fact that you are amongst the rooftops of one of the busiest cities in the world then only to be able to escape to a place of absolute serenity and clever landscape planning. I was in awe.

Sure NYC had central park, which in fairness, itself is a sight to see. It was the first landscaped public park to be built in the United States. It is situated in the heart of Manhattan and serves as a great green space sanctuary amongst the hundreds of towering skyscrapers. But like so many big cities, a public park built in the middle of a city is nothing extraordinary. The recycling of a railway into an elevated urban park is nothing short of phenomenal, in my view.

The plants selected are mainly that of perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees.  With a focus on native species, they were chosen for their colour, texture, hardiness and sustainability. The seasonal blooms add a dash of fun and delight and standout amongst the rooftops. The design is inspired by the self-seeded landscape with the inclusion some of the species that had originally and previously grown amongst the rail bed. 

I was inspired. And thus began my quest to have something similar here in Melbourne. 


Surely the most liveable city in the world could do with a majestic aerial landscaped space?  If New York is worthy then Melbourne is unquestionably worthy to play host to such a park.