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Gardens
Using permaculture techniques,
sustainable materials and avoiding chemicals are the most
obvious ways to ensure that your efforts to create a green
environment aren't undone when you step outside. However, by
using a little forethought during the design of your garden,
whatever space you have outside your property can be
manipulated to provide a real asset in your mission to
reduce energy usage.
The micro climate around your
home can be modified by creating a shelterbelt (or
windbreak) of trees and shrubs. Careful planting could
reduce the windchill effect of strong winds on your home
without creating the intense eddies that are created on
either side of a normal fence. Climbing plants (as long as
they're selected so as to minimise damage to the building
fabric) are effective at trapping a thin layer of air
against the building, further enhancing insulation
properties.
Vegetation can also be used to
keep your house cool in the summer. Leafy trees can shade
your home from the sun during the hottest months, but their
bare branches will allow through any light and warmth that
may be available during the winter. Air is also naturally
cooled by aspiration from leaves, so a proliferation of
plants will further cool a garden in the summer.
Choosing the right kind of
plants for your situation can help to minimise garden
maintenance and watering requirements. We will conduct a
simple PH test, identify the sunny or windy areas of your
garden and work out what your soil type is to ensure that
the plants you select will thrive naturally and fend for
themselves. If possible, creating your own compost and using
it liberally will markedly improve the quality of your soil
and increase the range of plants suited to your
environment. A 5-7cm layer of (sustainable!) mulch will then
help to retain moisture in the ground.
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