Getting out of the sun is often essential at this time of year unless you’re enjoying a swim, or sunbathing. Why not create a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for that respite from the heat? If you don’t already have a spot in your yard such as this, here’s what to do:
- Plant trees! The south and/or western side of the property is usually the hottest. Fast- growing canopy trees like river birch, sugar maple, honeylocust, and zelkova, provide the “ceiling” for this natural “outdoor room”
- Keep the ground cool with understory shrubs, such as viburnum, rhododendron, mahonia, and hydrangea
- Retain moisture below the mulch with groundcovers: columbine, epimedium, ferns, hosta, and lamium. These selections require less water, and need I say it?… help the environment
