Eight Landscaping Features That Will Help Reduce Summer Heat in Your Yard
The summer of 2024 was the hottest on record , and there is a good chance that future summers will be even warmer. For most people, planning for next summer involves upgrading their air conditioning systems and taking other measures to transform the interiors of their homes into cool, dark caves. But what happens if you want to go outside to get some fresh air? If your yard is too hot in the summer, you may not have a yard at all.
You can’t air condition your outdoor space, but you can reduce the temperature with some smart landscaping solutions. If you’re hesitant to cook outdoors because you feel like you’re on a grill while you’re there, consider implementing some of these simple design tips for your landscaping.
Plant shade trees
The first step to making your outdoor spaces cooler is to remove all that pesky solar energy that makes every moment in your yard feel like a trip to Mercury. Trees are the most attractive, natural, and effective way to shade your yard . Shade can reduce outdoor air temperatures by 15–20 degrees , which is a significant reduction.
Focus on deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves each year) as they will shade your yard and home in the summer but let in warm sun in the winter. Fast-growing varieties include sycamores, which grow well in a wide range of climates, as well as maple, oak and honey locust.
Remove hardscapes
If you’ve ever walked barefoot onto your deck in the summer, you know that pavement and hardscape absorb the sun’s heat. While the average temperature of a grass yard in full sun is about 78°, concrete can reach temperatures of 135° . Eliminating as much hard landscaping as possible from your outdoor areas will not only save your feet, but it will also help reduce ambient temperatures as less heat will radiate from the ground.
For landscaping that you want or need to maintain, consider using a lighter color scheme, since lighter colors reflect more heat. When installing pavers or other landscaping materials, check the light reflectance value (LRV), which is a measure of how much light a color reflects. The higher the number, the cooler the surface will be: an LRV above 50 percent is a good starting point.
Finally, consider using permeable pavers or sidewalks. These materials allow water to permeate the ground, which can help cool your outdoor space.
Grow ground cover
You can lower the temperature of the ground or hard surfaces by planting ground cover plants such as creeping thyme or periwinkle. These low-growing plants will spread out and block out the sun, lowering the overall temperature of the room and avoiding surfaces that are like a frying pan for your feet. You can also use reflective mulch in your garden beds; these include aluminum or other reflective materials that reflect sunlight off the ground, resulting in a small but noticeable drop in temperature .
Use layers
One strategy for cooling an outdoor space is to trap and retain cool, shaded air. You can achieve this by creating a layered effect: plants of different heights help keep cooler air inside and warmer air outside. Trees will obviously be your tallest layer, but planting shrubs and other mid-height plants along with a strong ground cover can naturally insulate your outdoor space, reducing temperatures (and increasing privacy).
Encourage the vines
While tree canopies can shield your outdoor space from the sun when it’s high in the sky, when it starts to fall those punishing rays can still bake your space. Vines and other climbing plants can provide horizontal shade, climb fences, trellises or other vertical surfaces and block sunlight while allowing air movement. Just don’t let them grow in your home—it can cause serious damage .
Direct the air
Even on hot summer days, a cool breeze can greatly improve your comfort level. Designing your landscaping to direct wind to the areas where you use your outdoor space can help a lot. Planting a row of tall shrubs or evergreen trees on the opposite side of a fence or wall can create a “wind tunnel” effect that will direct a refreshing breeze toward you, while trimming shade trees low will facilitate air movement.
On the other hand, if your outdoor space experiences hot winds, you can plant shrubs or trees to provide protection from those winds. Even tall grass can be an effective windbreak, absorbing and dispersing oven-like winds before they penetrate your patio.
Install a rain garden
Rain gardens are typically used to control water runoff, but they can also be effective in reducing outdoor ambient temperatures. Rain gardens are located in depressions where deep-rooted native plants are planted, allowing rainwater to flow into the garden rather than pooling elsewhere (such as hardscapes). The cooling effect of rainwater on the ground can affect the so-called urban heat island effect , lowering the overall indoor temperature.
Add water features
You can also add water features such as fountains or ponds to maintain outdoor temperatures, especially when used in conjunction with layered plantings of trees, shrubs and grasses. The impact of a small water feature may not be huge, but every little bit helps, and water features also bring beauty and a sense of calm to any space, which can make the heat more bearable.