Creating Natural Shade
When the sun beats down having an area of shade to sit in can give you some relief from the heat. In the shade, the temperatures may be as much as 25 degrees lower than they are in the full sun. Naturally, you want to have shady areas in your landscape design so you have this heat relief, and so you can plant shrubs and greenery that do not like full sun.
When you are designing your landscape plans you should consider planting trees so you can get the most natural shade possible. Not every tree creates a beautiful shade so you need to consider the best shade trees before you start to plant.
Fast-growing Shade Trees
One of the problems with planting shade trees is the amount of time it takes for the tree to grow big enough to start producing plenty of shade. You want to plant trees that will bush out and provide you with a large shaded area, and you want to plant trees that grow quickly so you can enjoy that shade sooner.
Among the fast-growing shade trees you will find:
- The Quaking Aspen
- The Hackberry
- The Pin Oak
- The Silver Maple
- The Northern Red Oak
- The Sawtooth Oak
- The American Sweetgum
- The Tulip Tree
- The Weeping Willow
- The Hybrid Poplar
Vines that Shade
There are a lot of plants that grow on vines and produce tremendous shade in the right conditions. You can build an arbor or a trellis to support the vines. The running vines climb the arbor or trellis and create a cool and comforting shade below.
Vines are an excellent way to get shade quickly while you are waiting for your trees to mature. Some of the popular shading vines are:
- Wisteria These vines give you beautiful purple or white blossoms that are fragrant. When the blooming time is over the vine fills with leaves and creates a thick natural shade.
- Carolina Jasmine This vine will be filled with fragrant yellow flowers that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. This plant starts to bloom in late winter so by the time the summer heat hits your yard you will have shade ready.
- Honeysuckle vines create an aromatic flower that is loved by butterflies. This plant needs full sun but when climbing a trellis or an arbor it can create a beautiful shade for you to enjoy.
To produce natural shade using vines and trees you have to select the plants that grow best in your area. You also have to consider how far apart the plants need to be, and how much care you will need to give the plants.
Natural shade also reduces the cost of cooling your home if you make sure that the shade blocks the sun from streaming through your doors and windows. When you are planting trees close to your home make certain that you choose tree species that have deep root systems and a low tendency of blowing over in a storm. Creating natural shade can be of the utmost importance. Contact us at Nature's Mulch to find out more.