Is it just me or does sedum sound like the “dad jeans” of green roof plants? Reliable but not exactly exciting. Has anyone tried mixing in anything a little more interesting that actually survived? Or is it really just sedum or bust after a big storm?
Is it just me or does sedum sound like the “dad jeans” of green roof plants? Reliable but not exactly exciting.
Haha, totally get the dad jeans vibe. I tried tossing in some alliums for a pop of color—looked great until the first hailstorm, then... not so much. Has anyone actually had luck with something flashier that didn’t just get wrecked? Also, curious if storm repairs usually mean a full redo or just patching up the worst spots?
Dad jeans is spot on for sedum—reliable, a little boring, but at least it doesn’t bail on you. I’ve tried tossing in some flashy stuff too (echinacea, a couple of those weirdly bright ice plants). Looked amazing for, like, one season. Then the first hailstorm hit and it was like a salad spinner up there. Honestly, I just stick with the “boring” stuff now. At least it survives.
On the repair front, I was worried I’d have to redo the whole thing after a big storm last year, but it turned out to be more like patching holes in your favorite jeans. I pulled up the worst spots, replaced the shredded plants, and filled in with cuttings from the survivors. Not pretty at first, but it bounced back. The cost was mostly for new soil and a few trays of sedum (again with the dad jeans). Full redo seems like overkill unless the waterproofing layer got trashed.
If you’re on a budget, patch and wait—nature fills in the gaps faster than you’d think, especially if you’re not picky about it looking perfect right away.
I’m with you on the “patch and wait” approach. After a nasty windstorm last spring, I thought I’d be out a ton, but it was maybe $120 for soil and a couple trays of sedum. The waterproofing held up, so I didn’t have to touch that (thankfully). Did you find the soil washed out much, or was it mostly plant damage? I had to top up a few low spots, but nothing major. The flashy stuff never survives here either—guess boring wins in the long run.
I’ve noticed the same thing—sedum and the “boring” ground covers always bounce back, while anything fancy just gets shredded or blown away. For me, the soil loss depends a lot on how saturated things are before the storm hits. If it’s already soggy, I’ll lose more to runoff, but otherwise it’s mostly just plant damage. Have you ever tried using those erosion mats or grids? I’ve debated it, but not sure if it’s worth the hassle for a few low spots.
