Home / Environment / Brooklyn Garage Blooms: Rooftop Meadow Surprises City
Brooklyn Garage Blooms: Rooftop Meadow Surprises City
9 Sep
Summary
- A two-car garage rooftop in Brooklyn transformed into a wildflower meadow.
- The garden features 2-foot-tall plants with yellow, purple, and blue blooms.
- The project cost approximately $16,000 due to contractor discounts.
In Brooklyn's Cobble Hill, a two-car garage rooftop has been spectacularly transformed into a mini wildflower meadow. Landscape designer Julie Farris envisioned and created the garden, which now features 2-foot-tall plants in yellow, purple, and blue hues, attracting birds, bees, and butterflies. This modest 320-square-foot plot, flourishing faster than anticipated, brings beauty to its surroundings.
The project began after the garage roof, shared by co-owners, started leaking in 2020. After structural reinforcements to support the garden's weight, the roof was prepared with irrigation and a four-inch layer of soil. Farris opted for a diverse plant palette, including perennials and grasses, to create a dynamic, colorful landscape rather than a uniform green mat.
Completed last fall, the garden cost an estimated $16,000, significantly reduced from the typical $25,000-$30,000 range due to discounts from contractors. The garden is now visible from nearby apartments, bringing joy and unexpected natural beauty to the urban landscape. Such green roofs contribute to filtering air pollutants and moderating city temperatures.
