Case Study: Lightweight Aggregate for Rooftop Gardens
By James Hames
Irrigation and Green Industry Magazine
After Peter Lassig wasn’t satisfied with the consistency of the
topsoil mixtures he had been getting for the 3.5 acres of garden he was
managing at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS)
facilities in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, he turned to lightweight
aggregate. The sterile, durable, stable and free-draining qualities of
the high-strength lightweight aggregate made it a perfect candidate for
Lassig’s project. Plants were set into a 1-to-1 mix of aggregate
and Canadian sphagnum peat moss spread six inches deep. Since using the
aggregate, More than ten years later, the Temple’s grounds and
gardens have received national awards from the American
Nurserymen’s Association for their beauty. In 1999, the American
Society of Landscape Architects designated the gardens as a
“National Landmark for Landscape Architecture.”
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