Landscape for Energy Efficiency!
If you're working on your home's landscape this summer, you can create an energy-efficient yard that will cool your home in the summer, keep it warm in the winter and lower your utility bills.

Block the winter wind with dense evergreen trees and shrubs planted to the north and northwest of the home. Trees, bushes and shrubs are often planted together to block or impede wind from ground level to the treetops. 

 

Solar heat absorbed through windows and roofs can increase your air conditioner use in the summer. Incorporating shading concepts into your landscape design can help reduce this temperature increase, lowering g your cooling costs. To block solar heat in the summer but let much of it in during the winter, use deciduous trees. To provide continuous shade or to block heavy winds, use dense evergreen trees or shrubs.

 

Water-efficient landscaping, called "xeriscape," utilizes water-wise concepts. Use water-efficient native perennials and drought tolerant plants. Improve your soil for better absorption of water by using organic matter to provide beneficial nutrients to plants. Use turf only in areas when necessary. Groundcovers, low-water demand plants or mulches demand less water than turf. Mulched plant bends are an excellent replacement for grass. Mulches cool soil, minimizing evaporation. Using mulch also helps reduce landfill waste.

For more information on energy-efficient landscaping, visit the Department of Energy's Energy Saver's Landscape website.