Roof garden flourishes at Sheppie High
Throughout the world people are following a lofty trend.
PORT Shepstone High School is following a worldwide trend. In just a year, environmentally-minded teachers and pupils have transformed a hot concrete roof above the school’s technological department into a flourishing and attractive roof garden.
Heading the eco team responsible for the project were local horticulturalist and former Port Shepstone High pupil Geoff Nichols and teacher Beth Rautenbach. As they pointed out at the recent official opening of the lovely garden, many other people had lent their green fingers to help turn a good idea into a great reality.
Looking at the information board on display at the opening, it was obvious that a roof garden involved some inspiration, a bit of creativity, a good helping of know-how but, most of all, plenty of hard work. And patience! As Geoff and Beth pointed out, gardening was the slowest of the performing arts.
First came the groundwork. Safety rails were erected and the flat roof was lined with plastic roof liner. This was covered by a layer of crusher then the final layer of soil, compost and fertiliser. Then came the fun part. Pupils involved in the project were thrilled when the plants eventually arrived and they could get down to planting them, under Geoff’s supervision. One of Geoff’s specialities is wildlife-friendly gardening and he chose indigenous plants that would attract insects and birds but that would be most likely to thrive in a harsh rooftop environment.
Guests at the opening were amazed to discover that more than 70 indigenous species had been used and were happily adding to the school ground’s plant biodiversity. As Geoff pointed out, a roof garden in a busy urban setting provided a welcome haven for birds and other wildlife. However, it made economic sense as well. By covering a roof with green, growing insulation, one could reduce temperatures in the building dramatically, reducing the cost of cooling by as much as a third.
In cities around the world roof top gardens were keeping whole urban areas cooler by cutting down on the radiated heat that was always a problem in a concrete jungle. Roof top gardens could be used for food production, too, he said. This was a serious consideration as populations soared and the world grew more and more crowded.
The pretty little Port Shepstone roof top garden was already becoming a haven for birds but, with shady corners, benches and meandering paths, it was appreciated just as much by the humans who used it. Everyone at the opening agreed that the pretty little garden was more than functional. It was a natural work of art.
