10 great plants for a living roof

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/vppr-architects-turn-green-roofs-into-a-pinwheel-canvas-at-otts-yard-in-london/">Rooftop gardens</a> keep your abode cool in summer, add a layer of insulation in winter and create funky, fragrant, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/attracting-pollinators-plants-that-encourage-bees-butterflies-and-birds-to-visit/">butterfly- and hummingbird-filled</a> hanging gardens throughout the year. In the process, they help to power down energy consumption and reduce the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/turn-hot-patios-into-hot-water-using-hidden-temperature-converting-thermahexx-panels/">urban heat island effect</a>; the heat generated from urban rooftops and parking lots that makes our cities unbearably hot. <a href="http://inhabitat.com/need-a-rooftop-farm-call-this-company/">Green roof companies</a> are sprouting up all over the place to help you make the transition, but installing a green roof is also a feasible project for a do-it-yourselfer. Even if you don’t have the time, money or technical wherewithal to give your entire home a green roof, you can start by trying it out on a small scale: a gazebo, shed roof, doghouse, or even a tiny birdhouse can be converted.

Green roofs can help to regulate your home's temperature in both summer and winter.

Succulents are ideal for rooftops, as they can withstand both extreme heat and cold.

There are hundreds of Sedum varieties available, so you can decorate your green roof in countless different hues and textures.

Houseleeks, also known as "hen and chicks", also come in many different colors, and they spread in attractive little rosettes to fill up any empty spaces.

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Delospermas come in a variety of different shades, and are easily recognized by their daisy-like flowers.

"Zwartcop" succulents are such a deep purple that they're almost black, and add great texture and color to your green roof.

Thrifts are sea-grasses, and will thrive best on homes by the seaside. Unlike "real" grasses, they're decked out in pink or purple blossoms in summertime.

Sedge is ideal for rooftops, as its shallow roots require very little soil.

Bright and joyous, asters add dimension as well as color to green roofs.

A powerful medicinal herb, yarrow thrives in poor soil, and attracts all manner of butterflies and bees.

Thyme is prolific, soft, and fragrant, and pulls double-duty as an ornamental cover, and a delicious culinary herb.

Common oregano makes a great roof- or ground-cover, as it thrives in full sunshine and can tolerate being walked upon.

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