Bloom with a view
Heather Goessel is amazed that so many Hong Kong people do so little with their rooftops. 'It's such a waste,' the long-term resident says, gesturing at a cluster of bare-topped concrete and tiled apartment buildings nearby.
'Of course, if people don't own their flat, they may think it's too expensive to invest in a lot of fittings,' she says. 'But nearly everything we've done didn't involve any structural work and can be moved easily.
'Yes, we've spent some money in the seven years that we've been creating our rooftop retreat, but I'd rather pay a bit and have this space that we enjoy using for barbecues or drinks with friends and just relaxing in the evenings.'
An hour earlier, Goessel's roof buzzed with 30 people attending the first of two owners' rooftop-garden open days this month, arranged by the Hong Kong Gardening Society. Because her space is partitioned into separate areas, small groups of attendees were able to discuss its design and exchange cuttings in relative privacy.
The distinct zones Goessel and her husband, Detlef, created on their 2,500sqft rooftop include a sun-lounger area that overlooks a small fishpond; a dining area with a collapsible canopy; a 'fragrant corner' that accommodates a small wrought-iron table and pair of chairs amid perfumed plants; and a Chinese-inspired tea nook with a small table and four porcelain stools.
When the Goessels moved in seven years ago, their landlord had repaired the leaking roof and agreed to lay terracotta-coloured tiles. The couple then whitewashed the wall that encloses their dining and lounging area.
After the floor tiles were laid, Detlef Goessel recycled the blue plastic barrels that contained the tile-adhesive. He tied three of them together to make extended base holders for large plant pots.
He then ran a lighting cable behind water pipes from their flat below. A washing-line frame was transformed into a partition with white plastic trellis slats, secured by a nylon rope.
The small fishpond was made from what was once a waterbed. 'We'd had it for years and it was leaking,' Heather Goessel says. 'So we got some wooden planks from a builders' supplier and stained them dark blue. Then we filled it with water and put a small fountain at its centre. It's now home to seven goldfish, which are protected by water plants from the kites we get around here.'
Not afraid to experiment, the Goessels grow roses, azaleas, dahlias, rhododendrons, jasmine and frangipani in their garden. Palms, grasses and ficus trees, all in plastic pots, add to the dense greenery. Their planting has been experimental. The couple eschew ceramic pots because they can break when plants are blown over in gales.
'I simply move pots around if the plants aren't happy where they are,' Heather Goessel says. 'If they still don't do well in sunny or shady spots, or with less or more water, it's best to pass them on to someone else, who might have better luck.'
One of her experiments is a small pineapple plant that's bearing its first fruit. It was grown from the leafy top of a fruit that was sliced off and put in a saucer of water. 'It has produced four 'babies' [offshoots], which have all taken well in pots,' she says. 'All gardens are works in progress, and I just try plants from florists, the flower market or cuttings from friends.'
Viviene Eakin, a member of the 210-strong gardening society for 15 years, has a similar learn-as-you-go attitude.
'My rooftop garden is ongoing trial and error,' she says of the lush space that she has been cultivating for more than 20 years.
Eakin's long, leafy haven is protected by two walls, and will be open to members of the society on June 18. The society also arranges talks by experts and trips overseas: in late March, members visited Nepal, where they learned about rhododendrons.
Eakin says every rooftop has its own microclimate. 'I couldn't grow the same types of plants Heather does, and mine wouldn't necessarily suit hers,' she says. 'I have much more shade from my own building and those nearby. I make it as 'jungly' and green as possible to contrast with all the buildings I can see from Mid-Levels.
'I only use pots, as roots can be strong and invasive and destroy the roof tiling, or worse [if plant beds were made]. I'm fond of climbing plants, hanging pots and perfumed plants,' she says.
A highlight of Eakin's garden is the variety of climbers that ascend trellises fixed to her tall perimeter walls, and then follow the shade of a free-standing wooden pergola.
Eakin says that her hardiest rooftop plants have been crotoms (leafy plants with splashes of colour), various types of jasmine, ficus trees, hibiscus, and orchids such as the cattleya strain.
Hong Kong Gardening Society visits Viviene Eakin's Mid-Levels rooftop garden on June 18. Inquiries: gardeninghongkong.com
