Plant white flowers!
Duh, why didn’t I think of that before we bought so many plants. I’m reading Container Gardening 2009 and picking up a lot of advice, but this is my favorite tip so far.
“I like to slip in white flowers whenever possible because they are the ones you notice at night,” wrote Kimbery Crane from EarthArt. She was talking about window boxes, but this is especially relevant for rooftop gardens since the light there can be limited.
R* and I were up on our Brooklyn rooftop at 12:30 a.m. this morning, watering and checking in on our ailing rose bush. White flowers would definately be more visable.
Here’s more pondering on white flowers at night: “As I think of white-blooming plants, I envision flocks of white geese flying in the night sky. They are like reflectors, mirrors that toss back to the earth all the available light.”
Brooklyn Roof Garden 
Posted by beth on June 4, 2009 at 2:07 am
I love spending my time in my garden but it’s not a roof garden. You are absolutely correct. one can easily notice white flowers at night. You possess sound knowledge about garden art. Keep it up a good job.
Posted by Marie on June 4, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Some white flowers are often scented, too, and scented mostly at night!
Formosa lilies, nicotiana, Gladiolus callianthus…You still have time to plant the glads, which bloom late, late summer…and they’re cheap.
Posted by Spillers for My Thrillers « Our Brooklyn Roof Garden on June 17, 2009 at 5:12 pm
[…] thrillers. I’m adding these white low-growing petunias and some white and green ivy. I chose white flowers because they show up the best at night, when we’re usually up on the roof. I hope they will be able to endure the wind and summer […]