Need some help with plants

My advice: 1. Wait a little and observe conditions. Take note of the amount of sunlight, bright shade, full shade; how windy is it? Does the rain tend to blow or drain excessively on one section? 2. Once you know the conditions in spring, summer, fall, seek plants that thrive in these conditions; dont fight them. If you dont get sun but love a plant that needs it, dont get that plant because it will die or look awful. 3. Figure out how youll water the plants: irrigation system? Hose? Is the plan one that you canactually follow or fdo you needto hire someone for maintenance? 4. How much work are you willing to do? Are you up for plants that need deadheading, pruning, etc or do you need to stick with low maintenance plants?

These are common issues to consider ahead of time. For many people, wind is an issue they dont anticipate on a rooftop yet itll kill most plants.

Without knowing more, id say go simple with hardy greenery like Manhattan Euonymous and for color in summer plant annuals that thrive in your conditions.

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Box is one of the best and most reliable plants for NYC terraces. I agree with Kyle - in terms of watering you should definitely put in an irrigation system unless you want to be a slave to your terrace.

Eunonymous is hardy, but very prone to an insect infestation called scale. Difficult to get rid of.

You could start with this blog:
http://lifeonthebalcony.com/
The writer is based in California, but she's a good resource and gives design and plant ideas. As Kyle said, it's all about the sun and irrigation. New york roofs and decks can offer fairly extreme conditions, so you want to make sure to pick the right plants (right size, right amount of sun, happy in containers, hardy to zone 6B) and install a drip irrigation system with a timer, so you can go on vacation or get busy at work without killing everything.

HI New2 - I know its been awhile (a few seasons...) and hope you've found an oasis upon your terrace. If not and would like a complimentary consultation come Springtime, give a ring. In the meantime, feel free to check out website that might provide you with some inspiration on a cold blustery winters day - www.vividbotanicals.com. We are local and specialize in smaller projects. :) Jini