Roof Gardens

The main reason why rooftop gardens are not sufficiently common is that we actually know very little about them. In our country, where a large part of the population has started living in urban areas, rooftops are ideal spaces for creating gardens.

Rooftop gardens offer an important vision and awareness for professionals in construction-related fields such as architects and engineers, as well as landscape architects, horticulturalists, biologists, and urban planners, policymakers, local or central government officials, and enthusiasts. We all know very well that urban agriculture is in high demand due to the lack of green spaces. However, the ever-increasing land prices unfortunately lead to a narrowing of green areas. This is exactly where rooftop gardens present a great opportunity.

What makes this book unique is that it was written specifically for Turkey. Our country has its own unique climate and variable growing conditions. Dr. Ekşi has conducted numerous green roof studies in Turkey. Therefore, this book is an invaluable resource. Although the information is specific to Turkey, it can also be adapted to other regions of the world with similar climates.

Many questions regarding rooftop gardens can be confusing. Can the existing waterproofing membrane be used? Which plant species are successful? What kind of growing medium is used and what depth should it be? How much maintenance does it require?

Environmental conditions for plants growing on roof surfaces are generally harsher: high air temperatures, drying winds, extreme temperature fluctuations in the root zone, and low moisture content resulting from shallow growing media. This situation brings certain reservations regarding the transfer of landscape areas from ground level to the roof. It is at this point that Rooftop Gardens will provide a great service. This work is a compilation of research and technical information providing guidelines for the design and implementation of green roof systems. Dr. Ekşi covers comprehensive topics related to green roofs, such as their history, definitions, types, suitable plant species for green roofs, their growing media, and the benefits they can provide.

Mert Ekşi

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mert Ekşi completed his undergraduate education in 2003 in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, and his master's and doctoral education in the Landscape Architecture Program at Istanbul University, Institute of Science.

He has been working in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Forestry since 2006. He participated as a postdoctoral visiting researcher for one year within the scope of the Green Roof Research Program at the Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, USA. He is currently the yürütücüsü (director/coordinator) of the İÜC Green Roof Research Project, which he founded in 2010.

He has focused his academic studies on experimental green roof research such as surface runoff management, plant and growing medium selection, and sustainable landscape practices. In addition, he conducts studies and teaches courses on landscape structures, the use of terminology in landscape architecture, and conceptual research.