Create A Green Paradise With A Roof Garden

Daniel Bracewell • 4 November 2021

Space is a premium in many cities across the UK, with lots of homeowners having to settle for a small yard instead of their dream garden. This is why more and more households are looking for flat roof specialists, so they can enjoy some green space above ground.

There are lots of advantages of a flat roof for your garage or extension, including being cheaper, but the one that appeals most to homeowners is being able to make the most out of the extra space – by creating a roof terrace or garden.

This doesn’t just mean putting a few pots out to add some extra greenery to your abode. These days you can make your roof look like a tropical paradise, a Mediterranean olive grove, or a picture-perfect English garden.

Natasha Goodfellow wrote in Country Life that roof gardens “are having their moment in the sun”.

However, it is essential to pick plants that can withstand inclement weather or install laser-cut screens, metalwork or trellises to break the wind. The magazine recommended choosing grasses; evergreen Mediterranean plants, including rosemary, thyme and lavender; aromatic herbs; and birch and smaller pine trees. Using faux concrete, fibreglass planters, as well as durable materials is also a good idea to ensure the garden stays in good condition throughout the winter.

If you decide to transform your roof into a secret garden, you wouldn’t be alone, as there are now 371-acres worth of elevated green space in London, which is more than Singapore, Tokyo and Japan.

In fact, Garden Club London’s designer Tony Woods told the publication there has been a 35 per cent increase in enquires for roof terraces in the past. This is likely due to more people wanting to create a peaceful outdoor space without having to leave their home during coronavirus lockdowns

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.