• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.98-108
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of limited methods, economics and breeding appropriateness of native and imported ground cover plants in the methodology of a shallow soil rooftop garden. The new shallow soil rooftop gardening method uses a total of 13cm in soil thickness, including 4.5cm of top soil on a 7.5cm rock-wool-mat stacked onto a 1cm roll-type-draining plate. The total construction cost for each method of soil level within the design price standard for SEDUM BLOCK is 89,433won/$m^2$, and for DAKU is 92,550won/$m^2$. By comparing those two methods, the construction cost of the shallow soil artificial foundation methodology is 45,000won/$m^2$; this shows the new method is 50% less expensive than the existing method of shallow soil rooftop gardening. The experiment was executed on the rooftop of the Korean National Housing Corporation to ensure validity of the shallow soil artificial foundation planting, and the sample plants which were imported and grown now in native covering. A list investigating the growing plants was made of the cover rate in each plant class, both while alive and the dry plant weight. The native ground cover plants, Sedum kamtschaticum, Sedum middendorffianum, Allium senescens, Sedum sarmentosum, Aquilegia buergariana, and Caryopteris incana increased the cover rate, live weight and dry weight in the shallow soil artificial foundation method. Among the imported cover plants, Sedum sprium and Sedum reflexum, the cover rate increased and growth conditions improved. However, some species needed weed maintenance. After examination with the less expensive shallow soil artificial foundation method and growth analysis, it was found that rooftop gardens are a low-cost option and the growth of plants is great. This result shows the new method can contribute to the proliferation of rooftop gardens in urban settings.