Based on the concept of “Slow Green” the rooftop garden on Green Wise’s headquarter was completed in the Autumn of 2016.
The garden spreads on two floors, designed with about 100 different perennial plants which bring dynamic changes to the scene throughout the year. The garden allows visitors to enjoy the complete life-cycle of the plants, from the flower buds emerging from the ground in spring to the strong growth of the plants during summer, and the colour change of the autumn leaves to the beautiful bronze of the skeletal branches in winter. The garden is maintained with IPM(Integrated Pest Management) and practically no chemical is used, allowing insects and other living things to thrive.
Understanding the importance of biodiversity in all aspects of our lives, we try to show and communicate the crucial ecosystem services the garden is sustained upon, such as pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of pests on this rooftop garden.
The Green Wise Rooftop garden was SITES certified to the Gold level, which was the first global project to be certified outside of the United States.
SITES was developed through a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden. The rating system can be applied to development projects located on sites with or without buildings and draws on the experience gained from a two-year pilot program involving more than 100 projects. Projects that have achieved certification include corporate headquarters, national and city parks, academic campuses and private homes. Learn more at www.sustainableSITES.org.
Conducting various environmental measurements
We monitor various natural influences such as rainfall, surface temperature, ground temperature, humidity, wind speed, drainage flow rate, and fixed point growth observation using time lapse images to collect numerical information on environmental changes on the roof garden. For irrigation, rainwater stored is used, but the need for irrigation is determined using these environmental data and only irrigated when it is deemed necessary.
Sustaining the balance and harmony with surrounding environment
It is important not to disturb the already existing ecosystem of the surrounding environment, and therefore careful biodiversity survey is conducted before and after the establishment of the roof garden. The results. of the surveys and the environmental effect of creating the roof garden, together with the environmental data collected will be shared with the public to promote future green infrastructure projects that will bring positive effect on the environment.
About "Slow Green"
Slow Green is a movement that celebrates the beauty of nature in its purest form and promotes the use of flowers and plants cultivated in conditions similar to their natural environments, generally proposing a more sustainable lifestyle.
Most of the plants that we see today have been grown in greenhouses with the use of chemical products in distant countries; whereas flowers grown under the sun without relying on chemical pesticides and fertilisers, flourishing in the natural rhythms of its environment show us the most authentic aspects of nature as well as the different expressions of the four seasons.
The seeds and pollen of plants growing in their natural habitat are carried by the wind, birds and other creatures, increasing the biodiversity and enriching the local ecosystem.
The philosophy of Slow Green comes from appreciating the form of nature as it is, finding preciousness and beauty in the leaves with insect-holes, buds with ants climbing, and observing flowers and fruits not only at its ripest but also at the way in which they wither.
