Space-starved City Residents
have ingeniously planned every aspect of healthy living and gardening has been
one of them, for lush greenery all around gives a soothing feeling. With the
increasing number of town house, smaller terrace homes and people moving into
apartments, the planning of courtyard gardens has become a major interest among
Gardeners.
The focus of terrace gardens
can be changed by utilising pots such that plants can be moved around to create
varying vistas depending on their growing seasons and colours.
Procedure: Step 1: Layout
One can make a layout of the garden as they want. A good garden
should have a proper balance of lawn, shrubs, ground, covers and small trees.
Though not a necessity, other features like, a water body, rock garden, gazebo
and some artifacts too can be incorporated into the garden.
Step 2: Select the plants:
The selection of plants should be such that they do not have a tap
root system. The plants should have a fibrous root system. A plant with a tap
root system has the potential of growing through the terrace and endangering
the life of the building.
Step 3: Prepare the growing media
The growing medium should be such that it does not add undue
weight to the building. Soil rite or peat moss is a very light and excellent
growing medium for terrace garden. However, because of its cost it is best to
prepare a growing medium with a mixture of garden earth, manure and soil rite
or peat moss.
Step 4: Lay brickbats
After having taken care of the above factors, now, they might be ready
to make a terrace garden on their own. First, they have to spread a layer of
brickbats (totally burnt bricks) of approximately 2”- 4” evenly on the terrace.
The brickbats are used to facilitate the drainage of water. Only totally burnt
bricks have to be used. This is because the pieces of normal bricks get reduced
to mud after some years and defy the very purpose of facilitating drainage.
Corrugated sheets too can be used simultaneously to facilitate better drainage.
The corrugated sheets should be placed at 3’ distance and should be placed in
such a way so as to lead the water to the drainage holes.
Step 5: Spread net lawn
Spread net lawn (wire mesh) over the bricks. This will prevent the
garden earth and manure from getting into the gaps in between the brick bats.
Step 6: Construct drainage chambers
If the terrace is quite big (more tan 500 sq ft) then construct
drainage chambers drainage chambers at various places on the terrace with pipes
leading to the main drainage holes. This is done to prevent water from
stagnating on the surface of the garden in case of heavy rain. The drainage
chambers should be constructed in such a manner that when the final garden is
done it will get covered by the lawn and not be noticeable by everyone.
Step 7: Spread the growing media and plant
Spread a mixture of garden can earth, manure and soil rite or peat
moss to the desired level. One can carry out the planting as per their layout.
Plants that can be adapted to a wide range of light and moisture conditions
that require little care, but provide soil erosion protection include juniper,
Pachysandra, Periwinkle, Cotoneaster, Potentilla, Partridge berry.
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