Plants are a brilliant low-cost solution for shading your home, so make the most of it by utilising plants that will also feed you.
Longer days and warmer temperatures may signal a time of growth and abundance in the garden, but they can also mean sweltering days and uncomfortably hot nights. What if, instead of turning on the air conditioner, you could keep your home cooler by growing shade- giving edibles instead?
By utilising simple concepts and thoughtful plant choices, not only can you passively cool your house and help to reduce your energy bills (and the environmental cost that goes along with them), you can also enjoy an edible harvest. Growing shade-giving plants, or ‘edible shade’ can be of great benefit in your summer vegetable garden too, keeping young or delicate plants safe from the intense summer sun and helping to keep your soil cool and moist. With plants and growing ideas to suit many different situations, edible shade is an easy and clever addition to your home.