An island of freshness, what is it?
As its name suggests, an island of freshness is an area where the temperature remains a little lower through different means, such as creating shade, taking advantage of vegetation and water, but also choosing the materials used wisely.
Whether you live in the city or in the countryside, it is possible to develop a space of this kind when you benefit from an exterior. Some cities have taken the initiative to create, or recreate, such spaces for their inhabitants to limit the accumulation of heat in the streets. In addition, these islands allow the population to have havens of coolness in which to take refuge during heat waves and thus limit the effects of heat on their bodies.
At the scale of your garden, which, it must be said, probably loses all its appeal when temperatures reach peaks, it is quite possible to create one or more islands of coolness to make it nicer, fresher and more welcoming. Let’s discover the different ways to achieve this goal!
Arrange shaded areas
If your garden has no trees or if the trees are still too young to provide sufficient shade, the best way to protect yourself from the heat outside is tocreate shaded areas. You will be able to shelter yourself from the scorching sun during the summer. These gray areas can be created quite simply thanks to different solutions, whether fixed or mobile:
- Fixed solutions represent a higher cost at the time of installation, but they offer a durable solution. You can install a pergola or make a shelter. The pergola must be firmly fixed to the ground to ensure maximum stability. You can then vegetate it with climbing plants, such as honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, star jasmine, etc.
- If your budget is more limited, you can also opt for mobile solutionssuch as parasols, shade sails, etc. Be careful to choose a parasol base that guarantees its stability and to favor light colors, because they store less heat.
Plant your garden as much as possible
When it comes to greening your land, it means planting as many plants as possible, whether trees, grass or plants.
To plant trees
The trees are undoubtedly one of the most effective solutions to shade a garden and lower the temperature by a few degrees. To convince yourself of this, think of the feeling of freshness that a walk in the forest provides in the middle of summer. Indeed, in addition to creating shady areas, trees act as natural air conditioning on their environment. Several reasons for this:
- Trees release moisture in the air. This phenomenon is called “evapotranspiration”.
- Leaves absorb and reflect the sun’s rayswhich means that the solar radiation on the ground being lessened, the latter has less heat to return to the air.
- Trees limit garden exposure to direct sunlight and, by the same, allow to reduce the temperature will be lower. But for this, it is important to opt for trees that have a spreading foliage, such as lime trees, catalpas, oaks, umbrella pines, mulberry trees, etc. Without forgetting that these trees with a spreading habit allow you to sit under it, as you would with an umbrella.
Beyond their benefits in the fight against heat, trees also allow improve air quality as they absorb carbon dioxide and other air pollutants.
Focus on other plants
Whether lawn, flower beds, vegetable plants, etc., all will bring freshness to your garden and promote biodiversity.
You can plant shrubs, climbing plants on trellises, perennials, etc. There is a wide choice of plants that can withstand periods of drought. On the other hand, be sure to choose your plants according to the growing conditions imposed by your land, the climate of your region, etc. to allow them to thrive.
Install a water point
I have previously spoken of walks in the forest and the coolness it provides, the same is true of walks by a river, the sea, etc.
You can completely recreate this atmosphere in your garden, whether with a swimming pool, a pondetc. If you own a swimming pool, you can set up your cool island nearby.
Alternatively, you can also opt for a mini-pond or fountain in a closed circuit, which allows limited water consumption. It should not be forgotten that water is a fragile resource which is subject to increasingly frequent restrictions. Care should therefore be taken to reflect on this point so that the water is used in a reasonable way and the closed circuit currently offers the best solution in this respect.
Favor certain materials and certain colors
Yes, depending on your choice of material or color, the heat may be stored, which would be counterproductive.
Materials side
Ban concrete and metal, because they have the ability to absorb and store heat, then release it during the night. In the same way, for your paths, avoid anything that can prevent rainwater from infiltrating, which limits evaporation and therefore the cooling of the air. Here are some ideas:
- For your terrace, choose wood or natural stonewhich retain less heat.
- For your walkways, think of gravel or filter paversbecause they allow water to pass through.
- If you have a garden shed or a pergola, you can vegetate its roof and thus gain a few degrees inside your shelter.
color side
Whether for furniture or garden accessories, for flooring, for the facade of your home, etc., forget dark colors in favor of light colors. Take the example of Greece, the Maghreb, etc. where the color white is widely used to limit heat.