Rooftop Container Garden: Lessons from a Seattle Family

Quick Establishment with Large Containers

A one-year-old Seattle roof garden became a favorite hideout thanks to four factors: large containers, 60-pound bags of potting mix, installed water supply (piping and outdoor spigot), and an enthusiastic owner who tends it daily.

Container Gardening Tips

• Get creative with containers. Big glazed pots from China and Vietnam add color and won’t crack in winter. Fill with rich, sterile potting mix.
• Feed and water frequently. Container plants exhaust nutrients quickly; fertilize every two weeks with half-strength liquid fertilizer and water as soon as soil dries.
• Mix annuals and permanent plants. Repeat filler plants like Bidens ferulifolia and ivy geranium for visual continuity.
• Don’t fear trees and shrubs in pots. This rooftop includes a crape myrtle, plus smaller shrubs like Algerian ivy, heather, Hebe, and hypericum.
• Use upright perennials such as gerbera, golden marguerite, and snapdragon for color exclamation points.
• Employ tender perennials and annuals like zinnia and helichrysum as flowery fillers.