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I can't comment on roof-top gardening, but I can offer a little insight into the world of growing bonsai with limited time and minimal space . . . I am a graduate student working on my Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology AND I go to an urban school in the heart of Detroit.

In terms of time . . . you will find that while in graduate/law school, you MUST (I can't stress that enough) find time to do things COMPLETELY unrelated to school. Otherwise, you run the risk of burnout and insanity. For me, bonsai is a great escape . . . my tree's are there when I need to get away, but they aren't so demanding to consume a great deal of time when I don't have it. The key is to keep your collection small . . . I have 5 tree's which are kept indoors and maintained year round. All of these are simple, easy to keep, low maintenance species such as Ficus, Schefflera, etc.

I also have a number of outdoor trees that really only require attention in the summer (beyond keeping them watered obviously). But the advantage is that your probably not going be in classes in the summer so you'll have the time to tend to those trees.

As for growing, a nice sunny window or balcony will do well. I maintain all my tree's on a balcony in the summer, and under fluorescents in the winter. My tree's do quite well.

I hope this has been helpful!

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