A green roof on a small structure is more than decoration.

I’m not referring to a green-painted or green-tiled roof, but a building topped with living plants. 

Originating years ago in northern Europe and still in use today, green roofs are mostly seen on large buildings. Books and classes on the construction of such roofs are available for business people and other citizens. 

Reasons for installing a green rooftop are as varied as the people who want them. A large corporation may institute one to cool a building and cut down on summer air conditioning costs. 

With the right soil depth, one can grow a city vegetable garden or an elegant apartment-scape, with trees, shrubs or vines underplanted with flowers and ground covers.

Edmund Snodgrass, co-author of “Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide,” started the first green roof plant nursery in the U.S. Lucie L. Snodgrass co-wrote the book.

As the idea caught on, the business grew to respond to an increasing demand for planted roofs. Other growers are now supplying material for the many kinds of rooftops. Landscape architects, engineers, and planners are now among those who have learned and are still learning how to construct such building-toppers.

Edmund Snodgrass joined Nigel Dunnett, Dusty Gedge and John Little, three British experts, to produce “Small Green Roofs: Low-Tech Options for Greener Living.”

Most of the green roofs shown in the book are small-scale, such as coverings for carports or garages, potting sheds, bicycle sheds and even a shelter for an old cat.  There are rooftop meadows over small apartments, and even a few for houses. How about a home office in the back yard, with space above for grasses low plants and housing for bees or other friendly insects?

From a green roof, storm water may be channeled into a rain barrel or even a rain garden. That roof may cut down on unwanted noise, and perhaps hold in a bit of warmth in winter.

Would you try making your own green roof? This book, with its many photographs and sketches, can begin to show you how. British it may be, but it translates all the metric measurements into American equivalents. 

Learn about extra supports for very heavy overheads, how to ensure waterproofing, what planting soil or drainage material to use, while always considering the weight you are adding up there on the roof.

What should you plant, and how? Can you reach the roof for maintenance? Will you be looking up at the roof or down on it? What about the neighbors?

The book ends with about 40 examples of actual installation, all well illustrated and each with its own story. Each owner or builder, or one of the authors, evaluates individual projects.

In this country, green roofs may be found in the north, in the south and in the west. In Maine, anyone can see some fanciful green roofs in the Children’s Garden at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. 

This is a good-looking manual to enjoy and to use for one’s own project. The book ends with a plant directory, list of resources, bibliography and index.

My comment: the editors have succumbed to the temptations of spell check. This isn’t serious, but spoils the text. There is no substitute for eye and brain.

When the authors, four expert pioneers, put together this green roof anthology, they did a thorough job. I thank them for it.