Ramat Gan – Rooftop fruit orchard, 6th floor

In 2020, a fruitarian and holistic therapist in Ramat Gan commissioned us to create an edible rooftop garden to support their fruit-based diet and complement their home clinic. Here’s how we made that dream come true.

We arrived at a consultation meeting with this special client on their 6th floor rooftop in Ramat Gan. It was important to them that this edible garden would support their diet and complement their holistic clinic with a beautiful green space. They  also wanted the possibility of taking their garden with them if they ever decided to move. 

As the client’s budget was limited, we decided to plant the garden in large 250L plastic containers that didn’t include the usual integrated rooftop drainage system.

This meant that we could create a functional and simple system that was relatively quick and easy to install, as well as maximize the budget for as many plants as possible.

During the planning process, we also tried to create as many different niches and microclimate conditions on the roof to maximize the variety of fruits and spices that could be planted there.

Execution of the garden began in March 2020 as the first Corona lockdown went into effect. Never before had it felt so symbolic and relevant to create a sustainable system for growing food in the city, while everything else felt like it was collapsing around us and residents were forced to lock themselves in their homes. 

Today the garden is thriving and producing an abundance of fruit such as oranges, bananas, malabar nuts, grapes, strawberries, papaya, longan, moringa, pomegranates, almonds as well as many herbs, spices, vegetables and other fruits.

Design, execution and maintenance: Gina Mezina
Photography: Yuli Gorodinsky