Low-energy landscaping

How can your yard or garden make your home more energy-efficient?

• Tall leafy trees over the house provide cooling shade in the summer that can lessen your need for air conditioning.
• Small evergreens planted beside basement walls help keep warm air in and cold air out.
• A vine-covered trellis helps cool west-facing ground-floor windows that get the warm afternoon sun.
• Awnings on upper-floor windows also keep the house cool in summer.
• Natural flower gardens with tall plants help keep the ground damp — the larger and lower-maintenance your garden is, the less watering (and lawn mowing!) your yard needs.
• Use rain barrels under eavestroughs to collect water for your lawn and garden. When it's not raining, keep the barrel covered so the water doesn't attract mosquitoes.