The right garden can help you stay cool over the summer months – it’s all about microclimate.
- If you have a hot westerly exposure in your garden, consider creating a shaded microclimate to manage the heat gain, especially if your living areas face west. Trees are one of the best ways to intercept solar energy before it enters your home, and although bigger is better, it doesn’t have to be a huge tree to help reduce temperatures – getting enough foliage in the right place will lead to lower temperatures. A small or medium size tree in front of a west-facing window can be enough to block out the afternoon heat.
- Once you have a shady microclimate in the garden, the types of plants will change and can further help to create a feeling of coolness. Woodland perennials, ferns and other shade plants give life and pop to the understorey while acting as a natural groundcover, keeping moisture in the soil and regulating temperatures. Summertime is often when these plants, especially exotics, reach their peak – the Japanese toad lily, Tricyrtis sp., is a great example for a woodland style garden, but don’t neglect hydrangeas, or natives like Libertia paniculata, the grass flag.
- Mist irrigation is a feature of fernhouses, where the plants benefit from the added humidity, but misting is also a means of keeping people cool in the garden as well! As the mist evaporates from our skin, it carries heat away, usually aided by mechanical ventilation such as fans. This is not yet a common feature of Sydney gardens, but could be a great way to get more use out of an outdoor dining zone, for example, in periods of high heat.
OUTHOUSE offers in-person consultations with qualified horticulturalists to help you get the most value out of your landscape. We can provide verbal advice, planting plans or a full landscape design. Get in touch with us to discuss your needs.
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