Five of the World's Best Roof Gardens
19/05/2015
Roof gardens, or as some people call them, 'sky gardens', are becoming an increasingly popular space for those who live in the latest apartment blocks, even luxury hotels are jumping on the roof garden band wagon. Unfortunately, these lavish roof gardens aren't usually open to the public, however, we have put together five of the best roof gardens around the world to give you some inspiration for your next project at home.
- Rockefeller Centre Roof Gardens (New York): This is on of the most jaw dropping gardens in the world. The Rockefeller Centre Roof Gardens opened its doors in 1935 and has been a popular destination for the rich and famous. The five terraces it holds were created by the famous Ralph Hancock and took two years to finish. It currently holds 3,000 tons of earth, 500 tons of bricks, 100 tons of stone and 2,000 trees and shrubs.
- Namba Parks (Osaka, Japan): This is open to the public and is filled with rock falls, thickets, streams and waterfalls. It may sound like some mountain range or beautiful valley but this is Namba Parks, a shopping mall in the middle of Osaka, Japan's second largest city. It was designed by iconic American architect Jon Jerde and was completed in 2003.
- Kaiser Roof Garden (Oakland, California): If you ever get the chance to visit California, visit the Kaiser Roof Garden. It's been built on a 5 storey car park and is made up of 3.5 acres of beautiful gardens including fountains, a wooden bridge, expansive lawns, mature trees and lots of seating for you to relax and soak it all in.
- Kensington Roof Gardens (London): London is a stones throw away for a lot of people, so why not take a visit to Kensington Roof Gardens? It is 6,000 square metres of gorgeous landscaping and is free of charge to visit. You will be greeted by fountains, flowers and even flamingos.
- Waldspirale (Darmstadt, Germany): Roof gardens are very different and the Waldspirale ("forest circle") is no exception. The garden was created on the top of an apartment building and was finally finished in 2000. Famous Austrian artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser was the brains behind the design and filled the roof with shrubs, ttrees and unique surroundings.
