24 October 2011

Exciting discovery on living roof!

For the first time since I installed and planted the living roof on my shepherds hut sleepout two summers ago, I was up on the roof checking out the plant growth and tactfully removing the odd intrusive weed (although most were pretty unoffensive, so were left to contribute to the habitat of the roof.  Some rather tall single grass-like spikes were visible from the ground, and on further investigation proved to be no less than 20 native New Zealand orchids which had self-seeded on the roof!  Just imagine that there must be masses of dust-sized (or smaller) orchid seeds swirling around in the wind, just waiting for an appropriate habitat to germinate and grow.  How thrilling then, to discover that my living roof is just such a habitat.  I will wait with expectation to see if the population thrives and grows.  Photo below shows view of living roof with the tall grassy stems of two orchids to the left of image.  Close up view of orchid flower in the following image.