Camas in bloom atop the new shed at the Salish Seeds Project nursery – what could be more fitting? After all, the Salish Seeds Project, a joint program of the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust, is dedicated to growing native wildflowers and grasses. In planning the new shed, we dreamed of a living roof that would showcase the plants of our island shorelines, prairies, and oak savannahs – plants that should be naturally well-suited to harsh rooftop conditions.
Living roofs can have many environmental benefits including storm water management, air quality improvement, and a cooling effect in summer. We wanted this roof to also provide habitat for local critters. Inspired by other local landowners who’ve planted camas on their roofs, we included over 2 dozen local, native species, all grown by Salish Seeds. Their blooms will sustain native pollinators, their seeds will feed birds and insects, and we hope their colors and textures will delight humans. 
The roof is a bit of an experiment, too. We incorporated local biochar and recycled ceramics into the soil and hauled, bucket by bucket, a total of 7.5 cubic yards up to the roof. We then established 2,000 plants and bulbs, and even included some species that haven’t yet been tested on roofs. We’re eager to watch and learn as this novel habitat continues to evolve as the seasons change. And we’ll happily share our methods, successes, and missteps with any or all other rooftop dreamers.
The CLB and SJPT are grateful to everyone who made the green roof possible, including Pete Kilpatrick (construction wizard), Andrew Borner (Natural Plant Solutions, biochar benefactor), and the many donors who have helped to fund construction of the shed.