OCULUS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the places we work.

We honour Elders past and present, whose profound knowledge systems can teach us much about how we care and design for Country.

Rooftop Meadow in Bloom

17 August 2022

By OCULUS

A photograph of a sunny roof garden with purple flowers and tall grasses. The sky is pale blue, and a building is visible in the background.

Images: Alia Horvath

We love returning to our rooftop meadow at Wheaton Town Center, installed two years ago with a mix of predominantly native ornamental grasses and flowering perennials. 

Home to Montgomery County Parks and Planning, the meadow is a showcase of sustainability. The green roof is located above a two-story lobby, prominently visible from a conference room, and is one of three on this LEED Platinum Certified project. 

A photograph of a bee amidst purple flowers on a green roof.

The pollinator-friendly plants in this meadow include:

  • Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) – popular with the bees throughout the Summer, this plant thrives on sunny urban rooftops.
  • Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ (Threadleaf Coreopsis) – while not the most popular plant among pollinators, this eastern United States plant is dependable, blooms for a long season, and attracts a wide variety of bees.
  • Allium – a reliable, clump-forming, bulbous perennial plant. 
  • Echinacea purpurea – native to North America, we selected red and orange cultivars, which we expect to revert to purple after a few years.
  • Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover) – sought-after by the bees, this prairie native thrives in dry, windy environments, like our rooftops! 
A photograph of a sunny green roof, with meadow style planting. A variety of purple, red, yellow, and white flowers are visible amongst lots of greenery. The top of a building is out of focus in the background.

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