The Florida heat presents real landscaping challenges. Owing to the frequent droughts and year-round high temperatures, you can’t grow just any plants in the region. This however should not stop you from having a beautiful yard. Below, we look at some simple ways of getting around the heat problem.
Consider Drought Resistant Plants
For residents of northern Florida, droughts can take place at any time and we all know that not all plants perform well under inconsistent water supply. Central Florida isn’t much better. Droughts in this area are frequent and can be damaging. Nevertheless, there are certain plants that have been proven to be resilient even in these harsh conditions. These include Beach sunflower or lantana and St. Augustine grass. The two don’t need much watering even during dry periods.
Other plants to consider include the False Agave, Twin Flower Agave, African Iris, Aloe, Artillery Fern, and the Bird of Paradise which is a beautiful plant with spectacular bright orange and midnight-blue flowers that resemble a colorful crane.
Shade Your Home and Plants
If well shaded, ground temperatures normally drop by an average of between 3°F–6°F in just 5 minutes. In fact, according to several studies temperatures at the top of forest trees can be 25°F higher than those recorded at the bottom of the forest grounds.
Shade can therefore radically influence levels of home comfort and energy costs. Creative designing of landscape with shrubs, vines and trees will not only help modify your home’s outside climate but also indoor temperatures. As such, a strategically placed shade tree and a covered patio ought to be of high priority in your landscape design to protect both your home and plants from direct sun.
Plant Ground Cover For Additional Cooling
During the summer, you can often see heat waves rising from parking lots and sun-baked streets. Pavements store the sun’s heat and radiate it back into the environment immediately. You don’t want this happening in your home since the heat rising from the pavements will likely enter your rooms, increasing indoor temperatures.
One way to deal with this problem is to plant ground cover around the pavements to absorb most of the heat. If properly done, this simple measure alone can reduce summer heat by a big margin. You can also consider dense, hardy ground covers for walkways rather than using pavers or stone.
Irrigate Your Yard To Hydrate Your Plants
Finally, you can also consider automatic irrigation systems to combat the heat. Just ensure that you’re not breaking the law. Florida laws require that all automatic watering or sprinkler systems must have water interruption sensors. Whether or not your irrigation system is computerized, it has to have a sensor that allows it to water the landscape only when there is not enough moisture in the soil for your plants. You will also need to check with your city or county to find out if there are irrigation restrictions and what the watering hours are.
Let Us Help You
At Empire Custom Builders, we offer a variety of resources that can help you create landscaping for your custom home that won’t die off at the first sign of a heat wave. If you’ve decided to breathe some life into your Florida yard, just call us at 386-734-5238 or fill out our contact form and we’ll be there to help.
For residents of northern Florida, droughts can take place at any time and we all know that not all plants perform well under inconsistent water supply. Central Florida isn’t much better. Droughts in this area are frequent and can be damaging. Nevertheless, there are certain plants that have been proven to be resilient even in these harsh conditions. These include Beach sunflower or lantana and St. Augustine grass. The two don’t need much watering even during dry periods.
Other plants to consider include the False Agave, Twin Flower Agave, African Iris, Aloe, Artillery Fern, and the Bird of Paradise which is a beautiful plant with spectacular bright orange and midnight-blue flowers that resemble a colorful crane.
Shade Your Home and Plants
If well shaded, ground temperatures normally drop by an average of between 3°F–6°F in just 5 minutes. In fact, according to several studies temperatures at the top of forest trees can be 25°F higher than those recorded at the bottom of the forest grounds.
Shade can therefore radically influence levels of home comfort and energy costs. Creative designing of landscape with shrubs, vines and trees will not only help modify your home’s outside climate but also indoor temperatures. As such, a strategically placed shade tree and a covered patio ought to be of high priority in your landscape design to protect both your home and plants from direct sun.
Plant Ground Cover For Additional Cooling
During the summer, you can often see heat waves rising from parking lots and sun-baked streets. Pavements store the sun’s heat and radiate it back into the environment immediately. You don’t want this happening in your home since the heat rising from the pavements will likely enter your rooms, increasing indoor temperatures.
One way to deal with this problem is to plant ground cover around the pavements to absorb most of the heat. If properly done, this simple measure alone can reduce summer heat by a big margin. You can also consider dense, hardy ground covers for walkways rather than using pavers or stone.
Irrigate Your Yard To Hydrate Your Plants
Finally, you can also consider automatic irrigation systems to combat the heat. Just ensure that you’re not breaking the law. Florida laws require that all automatic watering or sprinkler systems must have water interruption sensors. Whether or not your irrigation system is computerized, it has to have a sensor that allows it to water the landscape only when there is not enough moisture in the soil for your plants. You will also need to check with your city or county to find out if there are irrigation restrictions and what the watering hours are.
Let Us Help You
At Empire Custom Builders, we offer a variety of resources that can help you create landscaping for your custom home that won’t die off at the first sign of a heat wave. If you’ve decided to breathe some life into your Florida yard, just call us at 386-734-5238 or fill out our contact form and we’ll be there to help.
