This is another thing to consider when we take away the garden and start installing something akin to an outdoor room. How well are screens, structures secured down? In a mighty storm, are we better off having a well pruned garden and trees with deep roots that can bend and sway, or man-made structures that might, if not installed correctly, break apart and wreak havoc in peak storm events. Then there is the permeability and heat island benefits of having planted up gardens with large porous areas.
This is where arborists come in in advising us about suitable trees. Methinks in years to come, this profession will earn a more hallowed reputation than before.
Oh and I also learned in my class tonight, that the reason my shade-cloth used to blow away on those sweltering blowy days, was you guessed it ... because of its density. The best is to opt for maximum 60% density as the wind needs to get through a little! The same principle applies when planting a dense hedge. This creates greater turbulence around the house, as the wind can't pass through.
ReplyDeleteAlmost forgot ... I suggested to my teacher in my blackboard class, that I'll poke some holes through the shade cloth, and she said that would be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteSustainability in the backyard doesn't get any more basic than that! In the meantime am pleased to say a deciduous berry tree (not sure of the name) has flourished with all the rain, so the north western windows will be shaded a bit more.