Double Take: Bizarrely Beautiful Spires Bloom on a Vancouver Roof Deck
Did alien-looking plants in deviant colors land in this Canadian rooftop garden? Come in for a closer look
When it came time to design her 240-square-foot roof deck overlooking Vancouver's skyline, garden designer Glenna Partridge decided to go bold. "I could have chosen a more subdued color palette to blend with the blue and gray cityscape, but instead I chose to contrast and almost compete with the city view," she says.
Full sun, strong winds and no irrigation meant that Partridge had to get clever with her planting design. Because there was no way to water the plants besides lugging a watering can up to the roof, she chose sturdy sun-loving and drought-tolerant plants.
Partridge "planted" the spires in zinc trough planters among the other exotic foliage. "I loved their organic shapes with the plants, and at night placing a few candles around them makes them glow," she says. They and the other plantings also provide privacy from the neighbors without compromising the skyline views.
Partridge "planted" the spires in zinc trough planters among the other exotic foliage. "I loved their organic shapes with the plants, and at night placing a few candles around them makes them glow," she says. They and the other plantings also provide privacy from the neighbors without compromising the skyline views.
Designed by Seattle artist Barbara Sanderson, the spires come in an array of colors and sizes (the large size, seen here, runs around $99). "They are attached to copper pipes that will get a great verdigris patina in time," Partridge says. "They also have models that have wiring through the copper pipe with a small bulb to light up the glass Popsicle."
"Succulents were a perfect fit for the tough conditions on the roof. They stand up to full sun, minimal watering and wind exposure," Patridge says. "Even though our climate in Vancouver is too cold for succulents year-round, I used them like annuals." Large, lightweight zinc planters don't dry out as quickly as smaller planters, cutting watering chores to once every three days even in height of the summer.
The coral-like orange plant on the right is Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks'. The green variegated succulent is Aeonium variegata, which Partridge says she chose "for the look of flowers without the deadheading." Phormiums (the long thin leaves in this picture) offer evergreen structure in the winter, as do the evergreen trailers, Heliathemum 'Cheviot', which have peach blossoms in early summer.
The coral-like orange plant on the right is Euphorbia tirucalli 'Firesticks'. The green variegated succulent is Aeonium variegata, which Partridge says she chose "for the look of flowers without the deadheading." Phormiums (the long thin leaves in this picture) offer evergreen structure in the winter, as do the evergreen trailers, Heliathemum 'Cheviot', which have peach blossoms in early summer.
This is a close-up of the zinc bar tabletop in the second photo above; the table seats two when pushed against the railing and four when pulled out. It's a great place to start the day with coffee and end it with wine and apples, Partridge says. From here you can watch the annual Celebration of Light, Vancouver's international fireworks competition.
"I kept the planting to a minimum on the bar table by selecting echeverias to mimic the blue tone of the sky and skyline and then added the blue glass mulch to mimic the glass of the buildings and give the planting a bit of sparkle," Partridge says. She used teal and blue stones, also purchased at Southlands Nursery. If you're looking for glass stones, she recommends checking with local florists or landscape companies that sell landscape stone and gravel.
"I kept the planting to a minimum on the bar table by selecting echeverias to mimic the blue tone of the sky and skyline and then added the blue glass mulch to mimic the glass of the buildings and give the planting a bit of sparkle," Partridge says. She used teal and blue stones, also purchased at Southlands Nursery. If you're looking for glass stones, she recommends checking with local florists or landscape companies that sell landscape stone and gravel.
Turns out they were not plants at all, but beautiful handblown glass sculptures. "I purchased the handblown glass at Southlands Nursery here in Vancouver," Partridge says. She calls them glass Popsicles.
Modular furniture: Pottery Barn; bar stools: Ikea