Amid the hustle and bustle of life, we rarely get a chance to sit back, relax, and sip a cup of tea while being surrounded by lush green plants and fresh oxygen-laden air.
Have you ever wondered if there was a way to enjoy the beauty of nature without having to leave your home?
Well, there is. A beautiful rooftop garden will act as a sanctuary after you have had a long, hard day at work. However, building a rooftop garden has its own set of challenges. In cities like Mumbai, where space is a significant issue, it becomes more difficult. But you need not worry as we have some rooftop garden ideas that will help you create your very own space to unwind.
Rooftop Garden Ideas For Your Mumbai Home
The rooftop is usually one of the most underutilised spaces in a home. Many people buy houses with stunning rooftops and eventually just let them go to waste. However, when your terrace is transformed into a beautiful space, you will automatically use it more. Check out these simple rooftop garden ideas for your home in Mumbai.
1. Glass keeps things vibrant
Most of the homes in Mumbai are small, which is why people don’t have much space. However, having a glass instead of the usual parapet will make your rooftop appear bigger. Instead of opting for the usual railing, take a chance and use glass. Note that this idea won’t work where you require privacy.
In situations where you want the space to be more private and not visible to your neighbours, a parapet wall or railing is the best option. You can always add some climbers on the parapet to help it blend with the rooftop garden.
2. Variations are good
Rather than having a single type of plant throughout, be prepared to experiment. Opt for a diverse set of plants ranging from shrubs to small plants, herbs, creepers and climbers and so on. Bamboos and grasses are considered low maintenance if you don’t have much time to devote to your garden.
You can also grow your vegetable plants and enjoy some scrumptious veggies. There is nothing better than growing your own food, right? Some suitable vegetables for a rooftop garden are cauliflower, tomato, beetroot, eggplant, and carrot.
3. Use the space wisely
When talking about rooftop garden ideas for home in Mumbai, it is impossible not to address space. Using up the available space wisely is always possible with a bit of extra effort. There might not be a large terrace at your disposal, but you do have the walls. Use them! You can hang planters that are small in size or opt for railing planters or climbers to make the walls appear prettier.
There are also carpet plants available that can be planted along with your walls to blend them with the rooftop garden theme.
4. Pay attention to the flooring
The flooring plays a vital role in the overall look of your rooftop garden. You can go for the classic grass flooring or can also have wooden flooring. It all depends on the theme that you are following.
For a tropical look, go with the grass, but wooden flooring is a good option for a different look. You can also have different bamboo mats to lift the look of the entire garden.
5. Make a style statement
Adding a decorative statue or a fountain in your rooftop garden enhances the look of the entire place. Décor is one of the most important parts when we are talking about rooftop garden ideas. The decoration piece you add must make a style statement and act as a focal point for the entire area.
It isn’t necessary that the focal point has a decorative statue or a fountain. It can also be a beautiful plant, a flowering plant, a group of other exotic plants and so on. The basic idea is to have a central point of attraction.
6. Sheltering is important
Mumbai rains are ruthless at times. And to protect your plants from these rains, you must take care of the sheltering. Ensure there is a solid shelter installed to protect your precious plants from excessive rains. It would be best if the shelter is a temporary one so that when the sun is out, you can let the plants be in the sunlight.
Another alternative will be having plants in containers so that you can simply move them in and out of the shelter as required.
7. Plant containers are your best friends
Plants grown in containers are easy to move, cheaper when compared to others, look beautiful and add a touch of modernity to your rooftop garden. There are a variety of container-grown plants available for purchase. It can be a simple herb plant or an elegant, rare flower plant. Containers are a great choice when it comes to rooftop garden ideas for your Mumbai home.
And, as mentioned above, when the weather’s bad, you can simply move the plants under a shelter to protect them.
8. Shelve it up
Having a rooftop garden means a lot of maintenance work. And to do so, there are many gardening tools, fertilisers, buckets, watering cans etc., required. Now, it is much more convenient to store these items on the rooftop itself instead of having to carry them from your home every time. This is why it is a good idea to have shelves on your rooftop garden to store these products. You can thank us later.
9. Take care of the water supply
It is no secret that gardening requires water. In cases where you have a water tank and a hose available, you are sorted. But is the hose long enough to run through the garden? Also, installing a rain barrel is a good option so that the rainwater can be put to the best use whenever water pours from the skies.
Hope the above rooftop garden ideas help you in setting up a beautiful space. But if that’s not the case and you require professional help, click here and prepare to be surprised.