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Looking for green roof plants that will protect your building, attract wildlife, soak up stormwater and look beautiful? Here are some of our favorites to put on your list today!

So you want a green roof, and you love the idea of natives. Yet after hours of fruitless searching for sedum that evolved in the Midwest, you have come up with exactly ... one option.

Sorry, friend. That’s because there is only one sedum native to our area. (But it’s a pretty great one! See below.)

Many people throw up their hands right here, assuming that they have to therefore accept non-native alternatives on their rooftops. But that’s not the case at all. In fact, there are plenty of choices for native green roof plants. Here are 40 of our favorite to peruse today.

(Want a free download to take with you and share with friends? Get it here!)

Green roofs are unique environments, so you can’t just throw a batch of soil up there and call it good. What media should you use instead? And does it need to be customized or not? We answer those questions here.

Thinking about a green roof? There are a lot of factors to consider, as you already know.

What will you plant? How do you want it to look? Can you, like, eat breakfast on it and stuff?

Well, that all depends. Not only on your space and your vision, but on what kind of plants your particular ecosystem can support and the benefits you hope your green roof will achieve.

And that in turn depends a lot on the media you use.

Many people ask us whether or not they need custom media for their green roofs, so we thought we’d take a crack at answering that today.

We’re all for a good green roof. In fact, at one time, Ecogardens boasted the world’s largest monitored rooftop right here in Chicago. But soon, the medal for largest green roof globally will pass to Paris.

Paris is known for many things.

Baguettes. Hunchbacks. Rats that can cook.

It will soon be known for something else: the world’s largest green roof.

According to Forbes, the city – which woke up to the benefits of green infrastructure decades ago and is a world leader in pledging to install greenspace – will shortly be home to a 150,000-square-foot rooftop oasis.

Making the decision to install a green roof on your garage, deck, municipal building or commercial structure is a big one, with a lot of factors involved. Here’s a quick look at the reasons why you would.

Green roofs have, like, a great rap.

Everyone knows they look awesome. Most people know they’re “good” for the environment, even if they’re not clear on how. And many people are aware of their amazing abilities to soak up stormwater and clear pollution from the air.

While green roofs are one of the absolute best stormwater solutions we have in our cities today, though, you might not feel as good about the costs involved.

Which leads to a big question: Should you get a green roof? Or save that money for, like, a hundred classic Nintendo 64s?

(We don’t know. Just a thought.)

Luckily for you, we’re here to answer that question today.

Building a green roof is a complex process that involves many stakeholders and experts. Here’s a quick breakdown of whom you can expect to work with on a green roof project.

So you’re ready for a green roof.

Maybe you’re in it for the energy savings. Perhaps you dream of taking your weekend cocktail on a rooftop patio surrounded by cute little plants. Maybe you just live for those bucolic duck moments … 40 stories up.

We’re cool with any and all of that – and we’d love to help.

First, though, it’s important to understand how the process works and who’s involved. Let’s take a look now.

Green roofs require specific materials in order to protect the building roofing/waterproofing, retain/detain, and drain stormwater, and grow healthy plants. Here’s a quick rundown.

Looking at a green roof, it’s easy to imagine someone just stuck some plants and a little soil on top of a bare rooftop, dusted off their hands and called it good.

Because we can’t see underneath the surface, we often forget to think about the rest. Indeed, some professionals fail to use the proper materials or install green roof layers in the correct order.

That, we hardly need tell you, is no Bueno. No Bueno at all.

As with everything else, the first step is understanding. So here’s a quick look at the layers of a green roof, so you can be sure yours is performing and protecting as best it can.

Growing media nourishes green roof plants and helps detain stormwater, but what form does that media take – and which is best for your roof?

Which media to use while building or maintaining a green roof is a question with many possible answers today. While choice is a good thing, it also leads to confusion and analysis paralysis.

Don’t worry; we’re not judging. “Analysis paralysis” is sometimes our middle name.

Yet in the case of green roof media, we can’t afford that. Choosing the best media type during the initial stages of green roof design is critical for the roof to function at its best, detain and retain stormwater with maximum efficiency, and enable future stewardship.

So here’s your brief primer on the best green roof media type, so whip out that notepad (or the tablet that’s already wired to your brainstem) and let’s get started.

Biosolar, or the combination of solar panels and green roofs, is shown to increase the effectiveness of both technologies as compared to each when used independently.

Despite the amazing advancements we’ve made with sustainable rooftop technologies, many people still hold onto archaic beliefs. In all fairness, that’s to be expected in a field that moves quickly and is populated by nerds.

Hey, we’re not throwing stones here. Our house is super glass, ifyouknowwhatwemean.

One of the biggest misunderstandings relates to photovoltaic (solar) panels and green roofs. Specifically, most people are under the impression that they’re mutually exclusive, that they can’t be combined – and that’s just not true.

Green roofs represent a significant upfront cost, but what if you could get that money back sooner? Here are a few ways to make your green roof pay.

Everyone loves the look of a green roof.

Or at least, everyone should love the look of a green roof. And anyone who doesn’t probably needs to be committed. But hey, we’re biased.

Point being, any roof that has the capacity to support green infrastructure is a good candidate for the increased stormwater management services, detoxifying and cooling abilities, and serious aesthetic appeal offered by green roofing.

Only problem: Them things are expensive.

Most people stop here, assuming that they can’t afford a green roof “right now” … or possibly ever. But that’s not taking into account the many options available for decreasing the upfront burden, as well as upping the roof’s ROI over time.

It’s time to consider both. Here’s how to make your green roof pay today.