The Charlotte Ritz-Carlton hotel roof is the location for Executive Chef Jon Farace's garden, cultivated for hotel culinary purposes and featuring lavender, mint and other fresh herbs and greens. The vegetated roof of the 18-story Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is planted with 18,000 sedum plants to help reduce "urban heat island effect." The green surface reflects, slows rain runoff and insulates the rooftop, keeping the hotel building cooler overall.