Now a great place to entertain friends, this once-dull concrete pad features the beautiful organic lines and colors of ipe decking. Ipe lumber is almost twice as dense as most woods and naturally resistant to rot, mold, termites, abrasion and weather. Roof gardens are a tremendous way of maximizing urban outdoor spaces. One of the primary things to consider is the added weight, and that includes containers. Terra-cotta and terrazzo pots can be very heavy and, with the soil inside, especially when it's wet, can put pressure on your roof. One solution is to use lightweight polyfiber pots. An additional advantage to using these pots is that from a design point of view they're chunky, stylish and contemporary and suit the space perfectly.

The river birch standing tall in one corner also tolerates the harsh conditions on this terrace. Trees in pots are great for small gardens because restricting their roots means that the tree dwarfs itself and won't get too big for its pot. But trees in pots do need extra care. Remember to keep them well fed and well watered and they'll be fine. Note: Conifers are the quintessential plants for a balcony or a roof terrace, as they don't mind exposure to the wind or the sun. They also have needles that allow the wind to move right though while plants with much larger leaves have more surface area to resist the wind. Experiment with conifers that have prostrate, mounding, upright and weeping forms.  Another great tolerant tree type for balconies is the non-fruit bearing Russian Olive.