AboutMarc Chapelle, ASLA Expertise As a licensed Landscape Architect, I am available to answer general questions about style and design, ideas and suggestions for site amenities, larger site-planning issues, or recreational and park design. I prefer you ask somebody else why your petunias are not as perky as they should be...I'd LOVE to tell you how can use those petunias to increase your home's value!
Experience Member, American Society of Landscape Architects(ALSA); My clients are mostly contractors, developers and local civil engineering/architecture firms, plus the occasional homeowner. I am currently located in the dry Great Basin area (Reno/Sparks), so use of landscape materials OTHER than plants is emphasized. As a licensed Landscape Architect on the East and West Coasts, I have been in practice over 18 years. My website: DesertLA.com
Question We live on a small lot south of Houston, Texas (USDA Zone 9a). The bedrooms on the western side of our home are difficult to keep cool in the summer, especially in the afternoon. We have a narrow strip of grass (about 12 feet) between our home and our neighbors driveway. We are looking for suggestions of shrubs or trees to plant on the west side that will provide a barrier to the sun without jeopardizing our foundation.
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Teri
Answer Hello Teri -
A shrub isn't going to get as high as required to screen out the sun from beating into these bedrooms, so I would suggest a few trees, depending on how long the area is (12 feet is plenty wide to protect the foundation).
You can place them as close as 15 feet apart, but I would locate them based on the ideal shadow pattern that they would create. You can find this information by going out there this afternoon in the heat of the day (2-4pm) with something that is at least 10-15 feet tall. See where the shadows may fall if you were to plant a tree in any given location...aim for shading the windows.
Shady trees can cut almost 20% off of a cooling bill in the summer with deciduous trees, and the sun pokes through in the brisk winter months, when the trees are without leaves.
My personal suggestions would be to AVOID the Norway Maple (invasive and shallow roots), but its cousins the Red Maple and Sugar Maple are GREAT for creating heavy shade and their roots behave. Also I would suggest considering the Sweetgum. Also, get some local advise as I know the Houston area has a real problem with heavy clay soils, and not all trees can adapt to it.
There are "skinny" varieties as well, if you are still concerned about the limited space, such as the Bowhall or Scarlet Sentinel Maples (both Acer rubrum).
Now, as a drawback, if you are creating heavy shade, the lawn in this area will become spotty and hard to grow (Duh - it is now in heavy shade...). It is a trade-off: shade for pretty lawn.
The foundation is fine, if you keep the tree trunk at least 9-10 feet back from the side of the house, and at least 3 feet from the neighbor's driveway. No need replacing that, either.
