Shade, temperature and breeze punch above their weight in achieving landscape magic.
Imagine traversing your landscape as an ant or other small bug. Would it seem like traveling from the depths of a cool forest to a blazing hot desert? Sometimes I feel that way just walking from our shaded side yard to the lawn!
Regardless of scale, microclimates make all the difference in how we — and our wild friends — experience our surroundings. With a little microclimate know-how and smart landscape design, you can maximize your comfort and enjoyment outdoors.
Microclimates occur where local conditions vary due to topography, light, water, heat, wind and soil. They can be as small as under a rock or a landscape bed or encompass larger areas like a hillside or along a creek. Low areas at the bottom of a slope are often cooler and may gather water, ideal for a rain garden.
Stepping into the relief of a shady tree is a familiar summer experience of microclimates. Shade trees are key features in urban areas where buildings store and release heat, forming “heat islands” that are typically 1-7 degrees warmer than their greener surrounding areas.
If you have space, planting a tree can help significantly cool your yard during the hottest months of the year. Deciduous trees planted in the south will shade your home in summer and let light through in the winter months. Pick out some possibilities while you wait for tree planting season in late fall and winter.
Keep an eye on the sun as it moves throughout the day and seasons to help you correctly select the appropriate plant for the location. Southern exposures are typically good places for vegetables and sun-loving plants. West-facing areas are often hot and dry as well.
Structures like buildings and fences can provide shade and protected areas that are warmer in winter as they hold and radiate heat. They also act as a windbreak to help protect plants against drying winds. Native shrubs can screen and shade your landscape, blocking the view of neighbors and the wind while providing habitat for wildlife.
However, keep in mind a little wind can bring relief in our climate. Outdoor living spaces with trees or shade structures like slats or lattices allow breezes to flow. Plentiful plants surrounding patios or decks make areas more comfortable.
Although stones make wonderful accents for a landscape, large rocks and boulders can also act as heat sinks, trapping heat during the day and releasing it through the night. Plants in a sea of gravel or concrete like a parking lot or sidewalk “inferno strip” will be more heat stressed.
Your soil type and how much moisture it holds will affect your plant selection. Try out the soil filter on our plant finder for help.
With a range of conditions affecting your landscape, many Texas gardeners find it takes a bit of trial and error to find the right design elements and the right plant for the right place. But it can add beauty and fit into your community of plants in a way that creates a harmonious and comfortable home.
