We created the feeling of depth and abundance in this cozy West Village rooftop terrace through the use of layered plantings and staggered heights of plants and planters. The client’s main objectives were to not make the terrace feel overly crowded and to avoid the hodge-podge effect she previously had with too many mismatched looking containers. We got rid of all of the plastic and most of the terra cotta pots she had and created a more streamlined effect using mostly just grey fiberglass and dark brown ceramic pots. People often ask if their ceramic planters will crack in freezing conditions. When choosing ceramic pots, the main thing to ask is whether or not they are made for outdoors. The ones that are made to go outdoors should have been fired at a high enough temperature in the kiln to prevent cracking from ever happening in winter. This garden also features wicker furniture, grey fiberglass planters, dimpled Asian ceramics, and lush plantings of Japanese maples, junipers, dogwoods, rhododendrons, margarita vines, and flowering annuals. All of the planters contain automated drip irrigation and low-voltage lighting lines.
