Name: Serra
Location: Carroll Gardens
Size: 22 x 10 Feet
Favorite Resource: Lowes and Kmart
Pitch:
"After 12 years as tenant with hearty window boxes…I finally have my own sanctuary where I can grow multitudes of varieties on my Carroll Gardens rooftop deck. I inherited the big gray planters and the furniture as well (I would love to go teak eventually), and have been slowly growing a pretty healthy container garden – with some hit or misses...." [more below]
Many of the veggies and herbs are still in the early stages (tomatoes, peppers, jalapenos, beans, scallions, mint, thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil and chives), but I have some Marigolds, Mouse Ear Coreopsis, Ivy, Geraniums, Passion Flower, Beardtongue, Purple Ice Plant (the last 3 are not in not in bloom yet but very close), and many Succulents.
I have brought up many of my house plants that seem pretty happy up there, safe and away from the cats, and I recently purchased a small Hibiscus tree that had a few flowers at first but now I am not sure it likes the windy rooftop - I am still trying to find a safer spot where it will be happy.
I buy most plants from my corner market or the flower district but buy a lot at Lowes and Kmart – I like the idea of "saving" the plants from the big house and showing them what a little one-on-one attention feels like. The hardest part is making 3-4 trips a day with a heavy watering can (not to mention getting all the dirt up there), but it's worth it now that I am starting to reap the benefits!
Enjoy! Serra
RAINY DAY ADDITION
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Loving all the red, yellow and orange!
Love it! And the grey is a really nice contrast against the warm colors. Don't be in a rush to get that teak!
And I'm totally jealous that you have an outdoor table :)
Adorable! The boots really add to the whole effect. Two green thumbs up for the succulents- they are my favorite!
It looks like a lovely respite from the concrete world below. Wonderful :)
Lookin' pretty darn green! You're making me want to move to Brooklyn. Uh-oh. Now I have space envy. Great.
Serra,
Your outdoor space made me very happy - I love the freshly squeezed color scheme. You've done a beautiful job carving out your own slice of heaven in the city.
High five, you decorating diva!
Holly
Her garden design has a kitschy elegance perfectly in keeping with its urban rooftop setting. The plantings and the cushions, accessories, etc work as one color palette, and even contrast nicely with the darker tones of the cityscape background. Well done!
Carroll Gardens living up to its reputation! This is lovely, my dream deck really. The view, the colors, the space! Great job.
This is so inviting! Good choice of flowers to go with the grey, yellow and oranges. The herbs mixed with the flowers are also adding to the gourmet "lunch on the roof" feeling! I like it!
Ghetta
Love this!
You really beautify the space considerably, Serra! And your plants ain't bad neither!
Oh, it looks like our table is served...:]
It looks incredible!!! You did such a great job and I am very impressed. I can't wait to see it and you on my next visit to NY.
What a fantastic & inviting rooftop oasis!
Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone! The garden has already changed so much since the pics were taken...I have a few tomatoes now and my purple ice plant bloomed as did the stunning Passion Flower - I added a pic for you to see the last two in their glory...it was a gift last week-end when it was so dreary and rainy to find them all in bloom!
As someone with 3 acres in the suburbs you make me envious of life in the city! Sometimes the best gardens grow out of the challenges of space and conditions one faces - and this garden is clearly a wonderful example of creatively facing those challenges head on. Great job!
My! What a delightful rooftop garden! The bright flowers that complement the decor are so lovely against the NYC skyline.
Really refreshing with the colorful flowers. This makes for a beautiful summertime haven!
Did anyone notice her neighbor's rooftop?! Her neighbor's rooftop is beaming verdantly in the background.
Can't wait for you to invite us for dinner at the Rooftop Cafe...I'll bring dessert!
Sheila Passman
I love the bold, bright colors!
It's great to see someone making the best their rooftop!
. . . teak is inexpensive for us, and extremely easy to get - yet, it comes at a VERY high cost for the countries that grow it (I have friends there)
Please think twice about teak. What you have is nice!
Change is a good thing, and the furniture you have seems great! Maybe buy used teak, or incoporate new plants instead?
All, the best!
Jill
Williamsburg. B'lyn
Very impressive. You've only been at this new place for a few weeks, and you've already found the tiime to do all this!! I like the harmony of the reds and oranges.. Even the bbq is red :-)