An eye – pleasing and soothing garden can turn into the perfect escape from the intense and busy lifestyle. It is easy to relax when surrounded by vast green grass, under the shade of an enormous tree while inhaling the tender scent of sweet flowers. However, your garden has the capability to do much more than that. A well – designed landscape can save you money and help in preserving the environment.
One of the benefits of the sustainable gardening is that it doesn’t require huge investment, but it has long – lasting returns on the long run. Energy – efficient garden can cut your cooling and heating costs during the summer and winter and it will protect your home from the cold winds and the hot summer sun. In addition it will help you diminish the water consumption, the pesticides, the fuels and the electricity that are involved in the garden maintenance routine. With a thorough planning and a little bit of effort you can completely transform your backyard.
Know Your Garden
Every garden is unique, and thus it has particular characteristics. You need to understand the specifics of your landscape. Think which positions are appropriate for certain types of plants. Usually the soil in the shaded places is able to conserve better the moist. It’s easier if you make a sketch of your house, and its surroundings such as the fences, the sheds, trees, the flower beds, the patios as well as other utilities. Don’t worry if your drawing is sloppy. The important thing is to depict accurately the position of each item on your plan.
When finished, mark the areas that are exposed to the sun and wind. Decide which windows and walls are most vulnerable to the climate conditions and require protection. Then you need to pick plants that will not only be effective as a shield, but will also resist the environment. Take into account that some types of tree can’t survive in windy locations. The direct sunlight has detrimental effect on many flowers. If you are living in a colder place, work out the spots where the cool air penetrates and causes freezing.
See what others do. If you are unsure what kind of greenery is suitable for your location, walk around the neighbourhood and observe what they are planting. Ask the gardening experts for advice. Browse on the internet or you can enrol in a gardening class.
Practical Design
If you want to save both electricity and water, you might consider limiting the lawn surface. You will have less for mowing and cut your bills. Pick grass that is draught – adapted and will not need that much watering. You can reduce the lawn surface by increasing the size of the flowerbeds.
Combine plants with similar needs together. It will ease the watering and you will have an organized garden. Keep paving away from the plants that require a moist soils. Concrete and other hard surfaces absorb the heat and the rainwater and in result they dry out the nearby areas.
Sun and Shade
It is a common knowledge that a shady area is cooler in the summer. A few deciduous shade trees on a key position can lower considerably your costs during the summer. These greeneries have leafy branches that can spread on high distance. It will prohibit the entrance of sunlight, making the job of your air conditioner easier. The good thing is that when the winter comes, the leaves will fall, ensuring that the sun will warm your home. Pick a type of trees that will grow tall quickly. Plant them on the side where the home gets most sunlight. However, don’t place your trees too near, because in case of storm they might damage your estate.
Vines and climbing plants are the perfect alternative. They create shade, without constituting any heat for your home. The best feature of these greeneries is that you don’t need to wait for years to achieve any results. They start shading the walls in their first year.
Shrubs, bushes and other groundcover plants also come in hand as a natural insulating material. They diminish the heat radiation and cool the air before it gets to the walls. Place them all around your house at around one foot from the walls. Offset the negative effects of the driveways and patios by planting a row of shrubs. The hedge is suitable for shading the sidewalk.
These plants are particularly good at trapping snow and reducing the drifts in the windy parts of your landscape.
