A little roof garden in Dublin City Centre

This week we have been asked to design and plant a tiny roof garden in Dublin city centre: right opposite Government Buildings in fact. Several flights up, the 'garden' is only visible from the bathroom of a smart hotel suite. The 'garden' isn't even accessible: it's just a view which could be very pleasant. It's currently a dreary tunnel of black asphalt which does nothing but detract from the smart room inside. Our proposal is to hide the asphalt with a thin layer of Wexford beach pebble and to plant a series of terracotta pots with Pinus mugo and Tulbaghia violacea (two of the toughest, hardiest plants that we know for such difficult situations). As the garden can only be seen from one angle (the window), the pots and plants will hide the drab walls and concrete sills and will survive the challenging environment of a roof garden. There will be drip irrigation on a timer as well as occasional maintenance.

A view from the window and, looking the other way, of the window

A room with a view. What we're doing: Wexford pebble on the ground to hide the asphalt; square terracotta pots of alternate PInus mugo and Tulbaghia violacea; a larger pots and pine at the end. The 'garden' has only one point from which it can be seen: the window of a hotel suite. Because of the way the pots and plants are positioned, the asphalt is entirely hidden and the room has a very pleasant aspect

The proposal: large square terracoota pots planted with Pinus mugo and Tulbaghia violacea. Wexford beach pebble covers the asphalt and a taller pine tree marks the end of the vista.

At night, subtle lighting can add a great sense of drama.

Settling in: after a couple of months. Plants have thrived during a long, hot dry summer.

Looking the other way - you cannot see the irrigation from the window, where the garden is designed to be seen from.