In the last post we talked about how to reduce the stress your plants face during a heatwave. However today I wanted to quickly touch on how to design a landscape for a warming climate. As we all know the climate is heating up and along with that comes rainfall uncertainty, so how does one have a beautiful garden is an ever-changing world. It does not matter if your property is in La Jolla or South Park it’s prudent to consider how the landscape will respond in a hotter than typically environment. 

When designing a landscape here in San Diego I always recommend a client take into considerations the sites microclimate. This is a good starting off point to figuring our what types of plants can potentially grow where. Along with that it’s vital to consider water use, with limited water becoming available as well as the ever risen cost of said water it’s important to use it wisely. It’s also critical to capture any rainfall we do receive as this can be a great resource during the hot dry summer months. 

Another factor to consider when designing a landscape is how best to use shade in your garden. This can reduce evaporation and cool your home thus reducing cooling cost. A beautiful shade tree not only looks amazing it can greatly affect how the outdoor space is used during the hotter times of the year. Along with shade it’s essential to consider how different hardscape elements respond to wild swings in temperature. Some hardscape products especially synthetic can heat up to a point that they become unusable. 

These tips along with selecting plants that can handle the warmer climate is a good starting point when considering how to design a landscape here in San Diego. If you would like to learn more please contact Cleator Landscape Design at 619-917-3644