The 10 Most Amazing Rooftop Gardens In The World !

Many people that live in the city, often crave for the nature. They are trying to simulate nature in their own living areas. But the space in the urban surroundings is very limited. Besides the parks, we use every other available place that has contact with sunlight to grow plants and trees. Ever since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon we’ve been trying to reconstruct the nature, even at the rooftops of our dwellings, workplaces and public buildings. Whether only a small vegetable garden on a tiny balcony or a big park with lots of trees and shrubs on a tall skyscrapers’ penthouse, we all need a green urban oasis. These are the 10 most amazing garden rooftops and city gardens in the world.

1. Kensington Roof Gardens (London)

We all know how much the British love their gardens. Well, the thing is that this is not a typical British garden. This splendid green terrace is situated in London’s Kensington district. Its’ creation started in 1936 and it was open to the public in 1938. It was inspired by the Moorish gardens of Alhambra in Spain and, besides the English plants it contains a lot of Mediterranean trees and flowers.

2. High Line Park (New York)

What to do with an old and abandoned rail that was built above the ground on metal pillars? Turn it to a garden. That’s what the City of New York did back in 2006. They turned the 2.6 kilometers long rail near the Hudson River into a green area and now grass, trees and other plants grow on the out-of-use elevated rail.

3. Waldspirale (Darmstadt, Germany)

This unusually designed residential building has 105 apartments, a parking garage and a bar, but it is most famous for its rooftop garden. This spiral urban oasis contains a playground for the children and even an artificial lake. It is a blessing to live in a city apartment surrounded by so many trees and shrubs.

4. Gardens by the Bay (Singapore)

Singapore is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. That’s why it has so many rooftop gardens within its borders. This horticultural theme park was opened in 2012 and is so gigantic that it spreads on 101 hectares of reclaimed land from the sea. But the most famous attractions of these gardens are the so-called “Supertrees” which are tree-like structures, as high as 50 meters, and they serve as exotic vertical gardens.

5. Torre Luinigi (Lucca, Italy)

This is maybe the oldest still existing rooftop garden in the world. It is situated on the rooftop of an old gothic tower build in the late 1300s. The garden contains seven oak trees and this artificial “wood” has been a peaceful heaven for centuries. Today it is the most famous landmark of this charming little Tuscan town.

6. Foro Ciel (Mexico City)

Originally, this rooftop garden was an unused helipad on the top of a commercial building in Mexico City. The company decided to convert the space into a modernly designed rooftop garden. Now it is full of local plants and even has an orchard. The irrigation system is fed by rainwater and solar panels are providing the light and energy.

7. Acros Fukuoka Building (Fukuoka, Japan)

A new government office building was needed in this Japanese city and the only available site was a park that was the last remaining green space in the city center. So, they had to transport the park onto the new building. This amazing structure, which was finished in 1995, is a true example for ecological architecture. Every terrace on this 14 floors building is full of trees and plants so when seen from a distance it resembles a forested mountain.

8. Brooklyn Grange (New York)

Spreading on two acres of rooftops, this is the biggest urban rooftop garden in the world. It produces a lot of organic vegetables which are sold to the local restaurants. It also keeps chickens and cultivates bees for their honey. Some of the most delicious food in New York City comes from here.

9. City Hall Rooftop Garden (Chicago)

This urban garden was created in 2000, and it was to be an example showing the benefits of the green roofs and their affect on the temperature and air quality. The garden includes 150 species of plants and uses rain water for irrigation. The only setback is that it’s always open for visitors.

10. Rockefeller Center Roof Gardens (New York)

The locals call them “The Secret Gardens”. These rooftop gardens were a set for many popular movies. They were created in 1935 on the top of the most famous building complex in New York, the Rockefeller centre. This urban oasis attracted more than 87,000 visitors in the first months after opening. They were closed for the public soon after, and remain such till today.