Keep Your Pooch Cool in a Rooftop Garden Dog House

Homes in Europe are well known for growing decorative plants and vines such as ground covers, hanging ivy and moss on their roofs, especially in the country. Not only does it allow the home to blend in with its natural surroundings it also act as insulation; keeping the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

During the summer months it takes lots of shade and water to keep our canine family members from dehydrating. As we begin to spend more time outdoors so do our pets. Family with fenced in yards may choose to provide their pooch with a dog house to protect them from the summer sun and inclement weather. As an animal lover and an avid gardener their canine dwelling may stick out like a sore thumb amongst your flower and vegetable gardens.

How about incorporating your pooch's summer home into an attractive garden display with a rooftop garden. Transforming your dog's outdoor abode to support a mini roof top garden is easy. If your dog's house has a flat roof it's relatively simple. However, most dog houses have a pitched roof. You will need to build an pitched enclosure along the edge. This will require a few supplies.

Roof Top Garden Supplies: Waterproofing material to encase the roof, drainage material, small gravel, and gardening soil. If your structure is pitched you will need to build a retaining frame along the edges to hold in the soil and growing medium. This is simple to do with wood and roofing tin and nails. If the roof is flat the same applies.

Choice of plants: It's important to choose the correct plants. I would suggest flowering ground covers like Variegated Orange Stonecrop is a multi-seasonal perennial. Its lush orange-red flowers are beautiful in the summer and the green leaves are attractive in the spring and fall. It also does quite well in full sun. Others covers such as Anne Greenaway Lamium and Freelander Blue Prunella are just as beautiful giving the small roof top garden a variety of summer colors. Some flowering plants and vines may be poisonous to dogs and cats. Check with your veterinarian before purchasing any type of foliage that is easily accessible to animals.

This same roof top garden concept can be applied to your garden shed, supply shed or any garden structure secure enough to support the weight of soil, gravel and water. Roof top gardening is a simple way to transform those conventional outdoor structures into a more harmonious and eco-friendly garden attraction. Your pooch will thank you.

Source(s):
http://springhillnursery.com/ground-covers/c/2
http://ellishollow.remarc.com/?cat=20&paged=8
Old Farmers Almanac Gardening Guide
My Personal Gardening Experience