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.
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).
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