On a hot summer day it’s always pleasant to relax under the shade of a big leafy tree. The tree’s shade and the evaporation of moisture on its leaves can reduce surrounding air temperatures by as much as 9° F.

A well-planned landscape can make a home more comfortable and can reduce an un-shaded home’s summer air-conditioning costs by 15% to 50%.

To use shade effectively, you need to know the size, shape, and location of the moving shadow a tree or shrub will cast. Note the sun’s angle in the summertime as well as the wintertime.

Consult a professional arborist or landscaper when selecting trees and shrubs and avoid planting items that are invasive to our environment. To provide continuous shade year round select trees that don’t lose their leaves seasonally.

Here are some planting tips:

• Before planting a tree make sure that it won’t interfere with overhead power lines when it reaches maturity. Also note where underground utilities are located.
• When planting trees close to your home or driveway, select trees with non-aggressive roots.
• To help cool the trade winds entering your home, plant trees along the windward side of your home.
• Plant tall trees with spreading crowns to the south of your home to provide maximum shade over your home’s roof—taking care to not shade solar panels.
• Plant medium-sized trees on the west side of your home to shade it from the lower afternoon sun angles.
• Hedges or shrubs can also shade your home’s walls. However, avoid having dense foliage growing immediately next to your home, especially if wetness or continual humidity is a problem. It is best to allow winds to flow around your home.
• You can also use a trellis with climbing vines to shade the side of your home.
• To reduce heat radiation and cool the air around your home, plant trees, shrubs, and groundcover to shade the ground and pavement near your home—perhaps shade your driveway, a sidewalk, or your lanai.
• If you have an air conditioner, shade it to increase its efficiency by as much as 10%, but avoid blocking air flow around the condenser.
  

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