It’s been a long time coming, but for a number of years we have toyed with the idea of a green roof for our ground floor extension – it’s becoming more and more common to see sedum (stonecrop, or small succulents) on flat roofs in the Netherlands. There are multiple advantages; we were primarily looking at the cooling effect as well as being able to have a more green footprint.
Thanks to the various energy (environmental) steps we had taken earlier in the year, our extension was already ‘upgraded’ with improved roof insulation as well as a weather- & root-proof outer layer. In late July we took the final step with a DIY sedum package – preparing the 18m2 roof and then subsequently laying the sedum. Step-by-step with a buffer layer, a substrate layer and then the sedum mats themselves; fertilizer to give the plants a starting boost; and then a neat stone border to frame it all.
We are extremely happy with the result, and hopefully it will be cooler at the rear of the house …! 🌡️😎