Made in the Shade
How — and where — to plant deciduous trees for year-round comfort and decades-long benefits
Life is better with trees. Especially if you live in a city, where people and pavement create what’s known as an Urban Heat Island effect, isolated areas that are measurably hotter than surrounding green landscapes.
Properly placed, a deciduous shade tree earns its place in the landscape by helping to lower utility bills in addition to adding beauty to the landscape. Come summer, a deciduous tree provides welcome shade and elevates ambient humidity. Think of it as a cooling exhale—you’ll never get that from a patio umbrella.
Trees planted in the southwest portion of a lot provide cooling in summer during the hottest part of the day by shading windows, patios, and paving from the afternoon sun, bringing down the temperature both indoors and out.
On the flip side of the calendar, after leaves drop in fall the bare branches of deciduous trees allow what little winter sun we get to warm your home and brighten interiors. Evergreen trees planted to the south of your home may block winter sunshine, potentially increasing your heat bill. Whereas a row of dense conifers on the north and northwest sides of your property creates a windbreak against cold winter winds, reducing heat loss through windows and minimizing drafts.
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