Landscaping
ClimateSmart landscaping your yard could change the microclimate around your home by 1-2°C, saving up to 30 percent of your heating bills, and reduce air conditioning costs by 50 percent.
Beneficial landscaping, sometimes referred to as natural or native landscaping, balances our need for beauty with consideration of nature (our ecosystems). Careful planning and good gardening habits can make a significant difference in reducing your garden’s impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
Getting the most out of your landscaping
What should I do?
Protect existing natural areas, such as woodlands and wetlands, stream corridors and paddocks (particularly for residents living on acreage) to the greatest extent possible.
Plants
Plant water-thrifty plants, particularly native varieties. Native plants will also provide food and shelter for insect and animal life, important to a natural ecosystem.
Group plants with similar water needs. Ask your local nursery for recommendations on which plants suit your environment, but as a guide, water efficient plants have small leaves, often needle-like or round to minimise surface area. Water-efficient plants also tend to have light green, grey-green or blue-green foliage.
Lawns
In dry conditions, raise the cutting level of your lawnmower to between five and eight centimetres. This causes less stress on the grass and encourages deep root growth.Black or dark-coloured pavers can raise temperatures over adjacent grassed areas, which will require additional watering, so choose lighter coloured pavers for your patios and paths. Recycle your lawn clippings by placing them around plants as a mulch. This will retain moisture and require less watering. Water at night when plants absorb water best and there is less evaporation.
Sunlight
Plants block sunlight (creating shade) and absorb heat. Landscaping should block or filter summer sun and permit winter sun to reach most living areas. Planting deciduous trees on the western side of your home can block up to 95 percent of sunlight and 75 percent of the sun’s heat. A vine-covered wall is cooler than a bare wall. If you don't have mature trees, consider planting vines on a trellis. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide and clean the air, so we can all breathe easier.
