Front Yard Landscaping

All of us like to save money. With easy energy efficient front yard landscaping design you can save up to 30% or more on your energy bills. Just a few simple adjustments to your existing landscape or by careful planning of your new landscape you can create an energy saving home.

So how does one accomplish energy efficient landscaping? There are various things that can be considered in both existing and soon-to-be-developed landscapes.

Keep the Sun Out

You may live in the southern most part of the country where summer days are long, hot and very dry. On the other hand, you may live in the north where the winters are long, very cold and brutal and the days are short. The type of garden landscape you have surrounding your home can make a huge difference. You may need large shade trees to protect your home’s walls from the sun’s rays or you may want the sun to warm your home for as much of the day as possible.

You can protect your home from the sun’s hot rays by a backyard landscape design, planting large shade trees on the south and west side of your home. Of course on the flip side, if you want your home to be warmer in the long winter months you would want to do just the opposite, creating large open areas so that the sun can naturally warm the home.

These deciduous trees lose their foliage over the winter and will give you access more of the sun’s heat in the winter when your home’s walls and foundations need the heat.

Create A Wind Break

Wind chill can also cause your home to be cooler. A cold winter wind blowing through your home can quickly drop the inside temperature by as much as 10%.

Plants that serve as effective windbreaks include evergreens or trees in general. In fact, even fences placed in strategic locations can serve as windbreaks.

Keep the Heat or Cool In

One of the primary culprits in the wasting of energy is the heat or cool that escapes through the home’s roof, windows and doors. It is imperative to find a way to keep heat or cool air inside the home.

Another way to help is through your energy effecient landscaping with thick shrubbery close to the home creating a natural barrier. This barrier should be close but leave a small space between the walls and the plants creating a dead air barrier. By communicating with your landscape architect your intentions he will know the best distance between home and shrubbery for this dead air barrier to be the most effective.

The end result of your planning should be not only a beautifully landscaped yard, but one that is also energy efficient. Energy effiecient landscaping will save you money and one you can enjoy for years to come.