Check out this rooftop garden above Bastille Café in Seattle’s Ballard District. It’s one of the most deluxe that I got to visit while working on Backyard Roots. With 4800 square feet of growing space the building had to be retrofitted to hold the weight. But the garden provides a lot of produce: in the summer 50-100% of the restaurant’s greens come right off the roof.

Colin McCrate of  Seattle Urban Farm Company designed the clever planting boxes that have shade covers built right in. They can be raised or lowered depending on the weather. He worked closely with chef Jason Stoneburner to figure out produce that’s interesting and fast growing.

You can visit the roof top garden June to September and have a cocktail too. Tours happen every Wednesday at 5pm and the $15 price includes a drink made with rooftop herbs. Learn how to grow produce like a pro from Colin and his partner with their new book, Food Grown Right in Your Backyard.

Colin McCrate works on the roof top garden. Marigolds (right photo) help deter aphids.

The planting boxes have shade covers that can be hooked open to allow more light.

Chef Jason Stoneburner picks deers tongue lettuce.