Roof of Monastery Petkovica

... with some semps growing on it!


http://www.panoramio.com/photo/14534650

nice--it looks like they are self sown?

As far as I can understand what they are saying - plants were planted out there on the roof - for "protection from bad spirits". This is an orthodox monastery from Bulgaria.

oh, okay..nice to see the old tradition surviving
i cant tell for sure from the photos, does anyone know--in this sort of case, do they give any starting 'soil' for the plant? or just plop some plants down on the roof tiles?

Normaly they put some soil, some report even to water and fertilize them. But the plant needs are small so I guess it prosper from every bit of water it gets, as soon as the water does not take it down the roof. To fix it to the roof and prevent from moving with the first heavy rain is - at least on my opinion - the biggest problem!