Our yard is boring with just a lot of grass. The house faces east, which means our living area in the back of the house gets hot in summer, even though I close the blinds. What kind of landscaping do you suggest that could help cool the house?
The right kind of landscaping can enhance the look of a home, offer more outdoor living space and even help cool a house in summer. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that carefully positioned trees can save up to 25 percent of a typical household’s energy used for cooling.
A well-designed yard offers environmental benefits, such as controlling erosion or limiting runoff, providing food and habitat for wildlife, and cleaning the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
Landscape design typically is site specific, but in general, deciduous trees that shade in summer and drop their leaves in winter are the best choice for shading a house. Mike Odren, landscape architect and planner for Olson Engineering in Vancouver, suggests planting a deciduous canopy tree on the southwest corner of the building if possible or along the south side that will allow for maximum shading in summer.
Tim Shull, landscape designer with Yard and Garden in Vancouver, said maples are a good choice of deciduous trees for our area.
“If the yard is small, the home owner should consider planting a more columnar tree,†he said. “Armstrong maple is a good choice because it’s narrower and fits into a smaller area.â€
Exact placement of trees will depend upon where the windows are in the home, and if there are skylights or solar panels, which you’ll want to avoid shading.
Odren added that plantings around a building also will help shade it and reduce the amount of heat it absorbs and stores during the day that is radiated back during the night.
“Use organic mulch or gravel for paths and walkways rather than asphalt or concrete,†he said.
Another tip from Odren is to incorporate running water into your landscaping, which gives the perception of cooling. Install a pond or even a patio bubbler.
“If you have water somewhere around your patio, it will tend to feel cooler,†he said. “But it has to be running water. Standing water will heat right up and cause other problems, like a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.â€
Whatever you plant, choose a species that will grow to the desired size, rather than buying a fast-growing variety that you will have to prune each year.
“If you take a 40-foot tree and try to make it stay at 20 feet, Mother Nature will win,†Shull said. “Look down the road 10 years.â€
And before you plant a tree, look up. If your proposed spot is near any overhead power lines, you’ll want to choose a tree that will grow no more than 25 feet tall to ensure your tree won’t cause power problems once it grows up.
Reduce lawn
Lawn is typically the least eco-friendly thing in our yards when you consider the maintenance it requires. We mow it weekly, usually using a gas-powered mower, apply moss and weed killer, feed it, and water it — just to do it all over again.
By reducing the size of the lawn and planting native plants or drought-tolerant plants, we can have a smaller impact on the environment.
“There are a number of plants out there that don’t require supplemental irrigation, such as native plants,†Odren said. “Consider alternate irrigation techniques such as drip systems or microsprays that use water more efficiently.â€
Both experts recommend staying as close to native plants as possible because they thrive in our climate and are typically more disease- and pest-resistant.
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