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Gardeners' World

How to...

make a green roof for your bird table

Bird table with green roof

You will need:

  • Bird table
  • Plastic sheeting
  • Water-retentive matting
  • Tape measure
  • Galvanised tacks
  • 1m of 50mm x 12mm timber batten
  • Screws and screwdriver
  • Sedum matting
  • Slow-release fertiliser

Overview

Bird tables can be improved with a living, green roof that looks attractive and encourages more wildlife to visit your garden. The best plants to use for green roofs on your bird table are sedums, as they can withstand drought and grow on poor soil. You can buy ready-made sedum matting, which you simply cut to size and roll out.

How to do it

  1. Bird table - fixing plastic to roof with tacksMeasure the roof of your bird table and cut some plastic sheeting to fit over it - this will act as a waterproof membrane. Secure it over the roof with galvanised tacks.

  2. Cut the water-retentive matting to fit over the plastic sheeting and fix it to the roof of the bird table with galvanised tacks.

  3. Cutting water-retention mat to fit roof of bird tableUse a saw to divide the timber batten into four pieces - one for each slope of the roof. Cut one end of each piece at a 45˚ angle so they fit neatly together at the apex of the roof. Drill some pilot holes into the timber, then screw the battens in place.

  4. Screwing battens to the bird tableUse a craft knife to cut the sedum matting to size, then lay it over the roof of the bird table.

  5. Laying sedum matting on bird table roofSprinkle the sedum mat with a slow-release fertiliser and water.

Adam's Tip

Adam's Tip

"You can use the same method to green up the roof on an ugly garage or shed."

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