“Arnett Hall is new and exciting for a variety of reasons, but from a horticultural perspective, one feature that stands out as particularly cutting edge is its green roof,” explains master gardener Jeff Daley. “Although green roofs are not able to fully replace ground-level gardens or naturally forested areas, they can nonetheless increase biodiversity in an urban area like our campus by providing habitat where there would otherwise be none. Green roofs attract beneficial insects and birds, and butterflies when the plants are in bloom.
“The assortment of sedums and sempervivums that make up the Arnett Hall green roof were grown in a nursery, delivered by truck, and lifted to the rooftop on pallets by cranes.
“I think we're going to be seeing more of this style of horticulture blending with architecture with the rise of green roofs like ours. Another style is green walls, where tapestries of plants grow on mesh-covered faces of buildings. I think the possibilities for urban green spaces like these are endless. Arnett’s living green roof has the special status as being the first of its kind on campus, but certainly, we hope, not the last.”
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