An Enjoyable Project

Landscaping for shade interests many people along California’s lovely Central Coast. Whether you reside in Scotts Valley, Watsonville, or Santa Cruz, you enjoy numerous options for creating a cooler yard. This landscaping project enhances comfort during hot summer days!

Consider designing a shady landscape to transform an outdoor spot into a welcome retreat from the beating sun. Plants, pets, and people all benefit from careful landscape design. Use these ten practical landscaping tips to add more shade to your grounds:

Plant Shade Trees

One of the least expensive and most popular ways to gain shade also appeals to gardeners: planting shade trees. Today, residents of this area of California enjoy a rich selection. The arching canopies of many shade trees supply welcome relief during sweltering hot summer weather. Some realty experts estimate mature trees increase a property’s market value, too. If you maintain a large property, then planting full-sized shade trees proves feasible. For smaller yards, consider dwarf cultivars. Some very lovely types of shade trees include:

Add Tall Bushes to Patio Perimeters

Another strategy to increase shade involves selectively planting tall bushes near a backyard patio. Many flowering shrubs produce beautiful spring and summer blooms. These plants often enhance the visual appeal of residential and commercial settings. This approach proves inexpensive over the long term. Plant bushes far enough away from a home or a business to prevent the plant from posing a fire hazard.

Create Covered Porches And Decks

One popular way to obtain a shaded summer outdoor retreat involves covering a porch or a deck. Screening in these areas enables people to take full advantage of gentle breezes, while avoiding hot sunlight. A covered deck may offer an ideal location for casual outdoor entertaining. Landscape for shade by implementing this home improvement appeals to local property owners.

Install Patio Door And Window Awnings

Adding a well-constructed awning over patio doors and windows helps create cool outdoor areas. Some companies today even market retractable awnings. These products enable customers to select their preferred level of shade. A stylish awning enhances “curb appeal”. This improvement also helps reduce sun glare indoors.

Deploy a Shade Sail on Sunny Days

Installing a temporary shade sail provide a fun way to obtain rapid shady landscaping. This selection works best in locations without high winds. Shade sails range across a broad price spectrum depending upon size and constituent materials. Many households obtain comparatively inexpensive summer shade using this ancient technology.

Build a Pergola

Pergolas offer excellent shade for people enjoying picnic tables or garden benches. Today, some companies offer DIY kits for constructing these structures. You may also obtain an excellent pergola by contacting a landscaping firm. To optimize summer shade, consider growing grape vines or flowering vines. For centuries, in parts of the Mediterranean, pergolas have shaded outdoor dining areas. They now offer welcome relief from the sun in Southern California!

Include a Garden Arbor

Does your garden include a shaded arbor? Landscaping for shade in this way adds beauty. It also offers gardeners a great way to obtain respite from the sun. Many plants, including lovely climbing tea roses, adapt well to arbors. You might also enjoy raising honeysuckle or Morning Glory vines using an arbor as a trellis.

Cover a Patio

Many residents of the Central Coast enjoy creating elegant covered patios to shelter outdoor gathering areas. Plan this project with care for optimal results. You enjoy a wide selection of roofing materials. Many homeowners prefer patio roofs that complement existing residential trim. A vine-covered pergola provides an excellent lightweight patio cover.

Plant Hedges

Today, many flowering bushes also lend themselves to forming elegant hedges. To obtain at least partial shade along sidewalks or beside uncovered patios, you might consider planting a hedgerow. This addition requires careful pruning to help train the plants to grow in a conformation you prefer. Shade from a hedge may supply welcome protection against the sun for some flowers and vegetables.

Trellis Vines Extensively

Using trellises to grow vines ultimately contributes to cooler areas in a garden. At certain hours of the day, these plants cast shadows. Would you like to cultivate shade loving plants (like Hostas)? If so, the presence of at least some reliably shaded locations on a daily basis proves vitally important. Consider placing trellises with care to help optimize shaded garden beds, based upon your plant selections.

Landscaping For Shade Creates More Comfortable Yards

By intentionally designing a shady landscape, you’ll also create a cooler yard. Both business customers and households appreciate comfortably shaded open areas during hot weather. Taking the time to implement some of these landscaping tips improves outdoor settings. It also brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction during the hottest months of the year!