Explore Plants

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
    
 

Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - March 10, 2006

From: Bowie, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflower Center
Title: Information on green roof demonstration site at Wildflower Center
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Mark Simmons

QUESTION:

I visited your green roof demonstration site and am interested in putting a green roof on a structure. There seemed to be at least two layers of growing medium in the planters; one layer looked like rounded pumice or rounded brick fragments and I believe it was below the drip irrigation lines and the other looked like a growing medium. Could you explain what each layer does and where I could get the stuff in bulk?

ANSWER:

Our expert, Mark Simmons, thinks the layers you are referring to are merely the gravitational settlement of the media (synthetic soil) following rain events. The composition of each of these media is proprietary; however, contacting the suppler Siplast may help. We are in the process of creating more infomation about this experiment as it gets set-up over the the next month or so. If you haven't seen it already, please visit our Green Roof Gardening page.
 

More Wildflower Center Questions

Native plants for my location
March 20, 2004 - Which native plants would you recommend for my location?
view the full question and answer

Plant growing in mid-September at Wildflower Center
September 18, 2009 - Would you please identify the pink/mauve composite flower growing in the members garden. A large grouping is growing in the bed between the center bed and the pathway up to the demonstration gardens. ...
view the full question and answer

Ways to learn more about native plants of region
March 20, 2004 - How can I learn more about the native plants of my region?
view the full question and answer

Native plant education
February 18, 2003 - Do you provide resources about native plants to middle school educators?
view the full question and answer

Epiphyte growing on oak trees in Wildflower Center
June 16, 2006 - Thank you for your response to my question on what is the epiphyte growing on oak trees. I should have been more specific to say " the epiphyte growing on the oak trees around Lady Bird Johnson wi...
view the full question and answer

Smarty Plants's Facebook profile Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.

Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends.