14 Ways to Use Plants to Protect Your Home From Summer Heat
Planting around your house can improve your microclimate indoors and save on energy – here are 14 ways to do it
In the days before refrigerators, Bavarian brewers in Germany filled beer gardens with chestnut trees, as the shade of their broad leaves kept beer in the cellars beneath them cool. Now, with rising power prices, energy shortages around the world and new heat records set in summers, these old traditions are once again relevant. Instead of running your air conditioning constantly and pushing energy bills even higher, a green facade or roof and thick garden vegetation can naturally reduce temperatures inside the house.
As a bonus, thick vegetation filters dust, blocks noise and reduces the surrounding temperature through evapotranspiration. The basic rule is, the thicker the vegetation around the house, the bigger the positive micro-climate effect. In Australia and New Zealand, shading your northern, eastern and, in particular, western perimeters will deliver the most significant cooling – try for all three, but even shading one with plantings is better than none.
However, not all plants are suitable everywhere. The wrong tree or a climbing plant with strong roots could cause significant damage to your house, facade or foundations. Read on for tips about how to sustainably plant up your house and garden – with no regrets.
However, not all plants are suitable everywhere. The wrong tree or a climbing plant with strong roots could cause significant damage to your house, facade or foundations. Read on for tips about how to sustainably plant up your house and garden – with no regrets.
1. Choose quick-growing ivy for insulation
Ivy grows quickly to completely cover the walls of a house. This easy-growing evergreen acts as a heat shield in summer and a warm coat for the home in winter. But be careful of cracks in the facade: ivy sticks its roots everywhere and can cause damage. It is therefore important to inspect your exterior walls and facade regularly and clear ivy from around your windows, doors, gutters and pipes.
Need help deciding which plants will work in your site and climate? Find a local gardener for expert advice and to maintain your garden
Ivy grows quickly to completely cover the walls of a house. This easy-growing evergreen acts as a heat shield in summer and a warm coat for the home in winter. But be careful of cracks in the facade: ivy sticks its roots everywhere and can cause damage. It is therefore important to inspect your exterior walls and facade regularly and clear ivy from around your windows, doors, gutters and pipes.
Need help deciding which plants will work in your site and climate? Find a local gardener for expert advice and to maintain your garden
2. How to grow wisteria for shade and cool
Wisteria doesn’t only adorn the house with a sea of purple, pink or white blossoms in spring, it also exudes a powerful scent and is a treat for bees. In addition, this lovely climbing plant can effectively protect your walls from wind and the elements in both summer and winter. Creeping around windows, wisteria shades (and perfumes) interiors as well when grown against a wall that receives lots of sun.
However, it requires a strong trellis as it gets significantly heavier over time. Like many plants, wisteria can be almost impossible to get rid of once it’s planted, so if you’re likely to have second thoughts, plant it in a pot outside rather than in the ground.
Wisteria doesn’t only adorn the house with a sea of purple, pink or white blossoms in spring, it also exudes a powerful scent and is a treat for bees. In addition, this lovely climbing plant can effectively protect your walls from wind and the elements in both summer and winter. Creeping around windows, wisteria shades (and perfumes) interiors as well when grown against a wall that receives lots of sun.
However, it requires a strong trellis as it gets significantly heavier over time. Like many plants, wisteria can be almost impossible to get rid of once it’s planted, so if you’re likely to have second thoughts, plant it in a pot outside rather than in the ground.
3. Espalier your fruit trees
North-facing walls are perfect for espaliered fruit trees, because the sun warms them on one side while the wall protects the fruit on the other. Pears, apples, peaches and other fruit hang, together with the canopy, between the sun and the facade. Bees also appreciate them – as do our taste buds.
Many fruit trees – including varieties of stone fruit – are deciduous, so if you’re keen to cover your wall with year-round greenery, try espaliering citrus or other evergreens.
North-facing walls are perfect for espaliered fruit trees, because the sun warms them on one side while the wall protects the fruit on the other. Pears, apples, peaches and other fruit hang, together with the canopy, between the sun and the facade. Bees also appreciate them – as do our taste buds.
Many fruit trees – including varieties of stone fruit – are deciduous, so if you’re keen to cover your wall with year-round greenery, try espaliering citrus or other evergreens.
4. Bring shade to paved areas and hardscaping
In paved gardens or courtyards, you can bring balance and shade to your hardscaping – and help lower the indoor temperature of your home – by introducing soft plantings. Hard surfaces store heat and release it throughout the night, leaving no opportunity for paving and hardscaping to cool off. Proper planting also protects the soil in the face of strong rain and lets water drain away.
In addition to built structures such as pergolas or awnings, tall plants or trees act as excellent natural shading devices. If you want more light to penetrate your interior in winter, opt for deciduous trees on the northern side of your property.
In paved gardens or courtyards, you can bring balance and shade to your hardscaping – and help lower the indoor temperature of your home – by introducing soft plantings. Hard surfaces store heat and release it throughout the night, leaving no opportunity for paving and hardscaping to cool off. Proper planting also protects the soil in the face of strong rain and lets water drain away.
In addition to built structures such as pergolas or awnings, tall plants or trees act as excellent natural shading devices. If you want more light to penetrate your interior in winter, opt for deciduous trees on the northern side of your property.
5. Fill the gaps with ground cover
Stepping stones offer dry paths around the house without completely paving over the ground. Planting up the spaces between them helps stop overheating and reduces flooding by aiding drainage.
Stepping stones offer dry paths around the house without completely paving over the ground. Planting up the spaces between them helps stop overheating and reduces flooding by aiding drainage.
6. Triple the benefits with a green pergola
If you have space for a pergola you can dress up with lush climbing plants, you will be able to keep an area of your home cool and enjoy a shady place to relax outside in the midday heat. A pergola can also double as a parasol, protecting the wall from direct sunlight, while preventing the interior of your home from overheating.
Depending on where your pergola is sited, you may decide to train climbing plants only up the posts or let them grow up and along the overhead structure too.
Browse more beautiful pergolas for inspiration
If you have space for a pergola you can dress up with lush climbing plants, you will be able to keep an area of your home cool and enjoy a shady place to relax outside in the midday heat. A pergola can also double as a parasol, protecting the wall from direct sunlight, while preventing the interior of your home from overheating.
Depending on where your pergola is sited, you may decide to train climbing plants only up the posts or let them grow up and along the overhead structure too.
Browse more beautiful pergolas for inspiration
7. Make a vertical garden at home
In an urban context where there may not be soil to anchor climbing plants, you can seek out local landscape designers or architects for smart, insulating and easy-to-maintain vertical gardens.
Many vertical garden designs have irrigation and fertilisation mechanisms that are automatically regulated and easily accessed from inside your house or apartment. Generally, the homeowner decides which plants they would like to grow on their facade, and the professionals take over the planting and care. After a few months, the wall is completely covered in lush greenery.
In an urban context where there may not be soil to anchor climbing plants, you can seek out local landscape designers or architects for smart, insulating and easy-to-maintain vertical gardens.
Many vertical garden designs have irrigation and fertilisation mechanisms that are automatically regulated and easily accessed from inside your house or apartment. Generally, the homeowner decides which plants they would like to grow on their facade, and the professionals take over the planting and care. After a few months, the wall is completely covered in lush greenery.
8. Use plants for privacy and sun protection
If you don’t have a large garden for extensive planting, a small balcony will do too. Every potted plant helps improve the microclimate, while larger specimens can also provide shade and help protect your privacy by warding off curious glances.
Do be mindful of any weight restrictions on your balcony or terrace if you’re planting larger specimens. Potted plants can exert surprisingly heavy point loads of 500 kilograms or more, depending on their size and the amount of potting mix used.
If you don’t have a large garden for extensive planting, a small balcony will do too. Every potted plant helps improve the microclimate, while larger specimens can also provide shade and help protect your privacy by warding off curious glances.
Do be mindful of any weight restrictions on your balcony or terrace if you’re planting larger specimens. Potted plants can exert surprisingly heavy point loads of 500 kilograms or more, depending on their size and the amount of potting mix used.
9. Incorporate a green roof
Of course, planting on the roof has the same effect as on the wall. It is, however, important to bear the drainage and weight in mind when planning a living green roof – you must have a professional work out the roof’s load capacity first, which usually involves bringing in a structural engineer, builder, architect or a combination of all these trades.
Depending on the plants and the amount of soil required, roof gardens can add between 40 and 150 kilograms of weight per square metre
Of course, planting on the roof has the same effect as on the wall. It is, however, important to bear the drainage and weight in mind when planning a living green roof – you must have a professional work out the roof’s load capacity first, which usually involves bringing in a structural engineer, builder, architect or a combination of all these trades.
Depending on the plants and the amount of soil required, roof gardens can add between 40 and 150 kilograms of weight per square metre
10. Incorporate trees into your architecture
Rather than cutting down mature trees, you may be able to integrate them into the architecture when building a new home or renovating your existing one. Their canopies can act as giant sun umbrellas and help reduce heat gain in summer.
Garden professionals and builders or architects have to work together here to create a successful symbiosis between house and tree. But don’t let that deter you – this beautiful blending of indoors and out will make you thankful you took the leap of faith.
Rather than cutting down mature trees, you may be able to integrate them into the architecture when building a new home or renovating your existing one. Their canopies can act as giant sun umbrellas and help reduce heat gain in summer.
Garden professionals and builders or architects have to work together here to create a successful symbiosis between house and tree. But don’t let that deter you – this beautiful blending of indoors and out will make you thankful you took the leap of faith.
11. Plan for growth
If the owner of this home ever needs to look for her key on a rainy day, she can stand dry and protected in the shade of the overhang. But instead of covering over the entire courtyard, the cut-out in the roof lets light and rain through to the little tree, creating a better microclimate. You can easily recreate the same architectural trick with a bigger tree, letting it grow through the hole, its canopy protecting the roof from the sun and warding off heat gain through your roof.
If the owner of this home ever needs to look for her key on a rainy day, she can stand dry and protected in the shade of the overhang. But instead of covering over the entire courtyard, the cut-out in the roof lets light and rain through to the little tree, creating a better microclimate. You can easily recreate the same architectural trick with a bigger tree, letting it grow through the hole, its canopy protecting the roof from the sun and warding off heat gain through your roof.
12. Plant near your house but not too close
If you don’t want to let your facade grow over, you can position trees with thick canopies around the house. They have some shading effect on your indoor climate, but of course they don’t protect the exterior walls as well as climbers do. If bushfires are a threat in your area, it’s critical you don’t plant trees too close to your house.
Make sure your landscape or design professional checks how wide the trees’ roots are expected to grow, as they can cause damage if they force their way through foundations or plumbing, or cause subsidence by drying out the soil too close to a home. And make sure you keep up with tree care so they do not damage your house in a storm.
If you don’t want to let your facade grow over, you can position trees with thick canopies around the house. They have some shading effect on your indoor climate, but of course they don’t protect the exterior walls as well as climbers do. If bushfires are a threat in your area, it’s critical you don’t plant trees too close to your house.
Make sure your landscape or design professional checks how wide the trees’ roots are expected to grow, as they can cause damage if they force their way through foundations or plumbing, or cause subsidence by drying out the soil too close to a home. And make sure you keep up with tree care so they do not damage your house in a storm.
13. Pared-back supports
For plants that are unable to grip to a wall and anchor themselves to your facade, this kind of climbing plant support structure can be helpful, without being visually clunky. It also makes it possible to direct shoots exactly where they’re most needed.
Support structures such as these wires can also be easily removed without ripping plants off your exterior, which can damage your facade and result in the costly exercise of needing to repaint your home.
For plants that are unable to grip to a wall and anchor themselves to your facade, this kind of climbing plant support structure can be helpful, without being visually clunky. It also makes it possible to direct shoots exactly where they’re most needed.
Support structures such as these wires can also be easily removed without ripping plants off your exterior, which can damage your facade and result in the costly exercise of needing to repaint your home.
14. Mind the gap
To leverage climbers’ protection from the sun but stop them from digging into and damaging this facade, the trellis here was set slightly off the wall with a small, insulating gap of air between the plants and the facade, similar to a second skin. With a set-up like this, it is still important to regularly check that the climbers’ roots have not managed to reach the wall.
To leverage climbers’ protection from the sun but stop them from digging into and damaging this facade, the trellis here was set slightly off the wall with a small, insulating gap of air between the plants and the facade, similar to a second skin. With a set-up like this, it is still important to regularly check that the climbers’ roots have not managed to reach the wall.
Your turn
Have you used mother nature to keep your home cool in summer? Tell us how in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Want more on sustainable, smart gardening? Here’s your next read: 9 Ways to Be Water-Wise in Your Edible Garden
Have you used mother nature to keep your home cool in summer? Tell us how in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Want more on sustainable, smart gardening? Here’s your next read: 9 Ways to Be Water-Wise in Your Edible Garden
Trees are the oldest and most natural shading device and work to reduce indoor and outdoor temperatures in your home by blocking direct sunlight and the heat it brings. With vertical gardens, these reduce heat gain thanks to the layer of air between the wall and plants, as well as the thick layers of leaves that block the sun. Walls supporting vertical gardens or green facades clothed in climbing plants do not heat up as much as traditional walls.
This was confirmed in a study by Professor Hans Georg Edelmann and his team at the University of Cologne and the Jülich Research Centre in Germany. Over several weeks, the study compared the change throughout the day in the temperature of and air humidity around ivy-covered and classic plaster-coated walls. It showed that the plants successfully cooled the walls in summer and had an insulating effect in winter.