How To Reduce The Carbon Footprint Of Your Home Through Landscaping

You know how hot it gets in Florida during summer. You rely on your ever-faithful air conditioning units to cool your home. No matter which part of the Sunshine State you live – in a tourist-heavy Tampa or a quaint Spring Hill – you always have the option to use your air conditioning system in an eco- friendly manner. And how to that? Plant trees around your home. It will not only help in better air conditioning but also will help you to leave behind a sustainable Earth-friendly legacy for your children. There are a few things to remember while you are planning to landscape your surroundings in Spring Hill.Plant Shade Bearing TreesSpring Hill is in the Nature Coast region of Florida. It boasts a diverse ecosystem of flora and fauna, and the tree-lined avenues in the city are the proof of that fact. So, when it comes to planting shade- giving trees around your home in Spring Hill, you have countless options. Choose the species that provide shades and stand tall with spreading crown. Native trees like sycamore, crape myrtle, Florida maple, magnolia, river birch, and Turkey oak would be ideal for this purpose. They will help to reduce temperatures of the surroundings and boost the efficiency of your indoor cooling units.Hedges Blocking Summer SunCarefully manicured hedges look pleasing. Besides, they provide privacy. Evergreen hedges are easy to maintain and shield the exterior of your home from solar heat.Flowering Trellis to Block SunlightFlowering trellis is another great option to make your home’s exterior beautiful and protect your abode from harsh Florida summer sun. Indian jasmine, plumbago, bougainvillea, and allamanda bush are right options while planning to put up a garden trellis to block direct sunlight.Vines to Cover RoofThick vines covering the roof can contribute to lower the temperature of the inside air up to six degrees Fahrenheit cooler.Reduce Asphalt Covered Open AreaCover the open area in the home with grass and lower lying shrubberies. It will help to keep in check the soil heat. Planting trees surrounding the outer AC unit will keep it from overheating.Location of LandscapingPlant trees like oaks in northern lines and the north-western corner of the house. Their bigger crown sizes with less crowding in lower lying branches work as perfect windbreaker during winter, while providing shades to roof in summer. Deciduous trees at south and west give respite from the summer sun while in winter their lack of leaves help the sunlight to enter inside. In East and West low-lying shrubberies work well to provide shades at lower angles.Trees in IndoorInstead of splurging in air-purifier, fill up your interior with the indoor plants that clean the air from toxins produced by occupants and various household gadgets. You can use mother-in-law’s tongue, areca palm, money plant, spider plant, dracaena, and many other easy to maintain plants to purify indoor air.Trees to Avoid in LandscapingTrees that tend to grow with a far-reaching root networks are not a viable option. A few types of Asiatic bamboos, barring the cosmetic ones are unsuitable for this very reason. Trees growing locally in Florida mangroves and marshes are also bad for landscaping.It’s easy to make your air conditioning efficient in Spring Hill, a lush suburb in Florida. All you need to do is add some greenery to your outdoor space. Reducing carbon footprints is the need of the hour, and planting trees in the right way is the answer to that call. We have just told you how to do that.