Project Details
| Location | 51 Shortland Street, Auckland CBD |
| Date of Evaluation | 13 November 2019 |
| Evaluated by | Mike Ramsay - Greenscene BATB |
| Site Conditions | Direct sunlight, high temperature from radiant heat reflecting from the surrounding glass buildings and high exposure to winds |
| Other | Plants and shrubs planted in containers |
| Rate & Method | 1.5g/1L soil |
| TerraCottem Product | TerraCottem universal |
Which issues did you have to deal with prior to using the TerraCottem soil conditioning technology in the above applications?
The roof area is hot with a lot of radiant heat reflecting from the glass buildings around the site and the surface area. The area is exposed to swirling winds from every direction as they funnel through the high-rise buildings surrounding the site. Most plants are grown in container planters and there is a risk of irrigation malfunction which could affect water availability.
What did you want to achieve by using the TerraCottem product(s)?
Fast plant establishment as the area had been designed for a staff relaxing space and social occasion area and the client wanted the space to be available for use in a short time. The client wanted to reduce water costs and have a spectacular display of plants on the rooftop area.
Which product benefits did you observe?
Plants established strong root systems over a short period of time. The canopy cover developed within a few months of planting and the Tecomanthe began to creep up the backdrop wall soon after planting.
Did you have a control plot (without TerraCottem) in order to make a comparison?
No
If not, can you make a comparison with a similar application (but without TerraCottem) from a previous season where you didn't use TerraCottem? If so, what are the differences?
Before this project, Greenscene had not done any rooftop gardens, so there was no direct comparison available. However, opposite the building, the rooftop garden has not been planted with Terracottem. There was a notable difference between the two gardens in height, density and plant health.
