09 Feb 10 Cooling Your Garden and Backyard In The Summertime

In almost every part of the country, with the exception of the extreme northern state of Alaska, and the temperate region of Hawaii, the continental United States experiences hot, sweltering summers. In some states the summer time is an extended affair, while in other states it lasts a few days or a few weeks.

During the hottest days, it becomes uncomfortable to spend time outside the house. Families with children won't be able to spend time playing in the open air. People will find it difficult to exercise by taking walks or running. Pets and their owners will have a hard time taking advantage of the outdoors.

Hobbyist gardeners may be struck by the fact that overly intense sunshine has the effect of destroying their handiwork. While plants do need sunlight to thrive, excessively high temperatures and heat will cause them to droop and wilt. If the gardener is fortunate, the drooping is temperature and the plant will recover. Otherwise damaged plants may be lost forever.

Home owners may want to think hard about how to protect themselves and their gardens or backyards from the damage caused by the worst of summer. One answer lies in outdoor shade accessories, which can be thought of as belonging to three categories. The first are the permanent shades which can be attached to the structure of the house. The second are the portable shades that can be set up and taken down quickly. The third are temperature conditioning systems, such as outdoor misting systems or outdoor fans.

Permanent structure outdoor shades encompass things like pergolas, arbors, gazebos and awnings. Awnings may be the most common but also most useful of these. Usually they are placed over a window or entrance. Both retractable and roll-out awnings exist. They have enough reach to cover large patios, and perhaps a small porch in addition to some of the garden and yard areas. Modern awnings can be controlled with a remote, so a simple push of a button can open or close the shade. The only consideration here is the very high cost of installation and maintenance.

The products from the portable shade category is both cheaper to buy and easier to install. The best example of a portable outdoor shade is the pool umbrella. This pool accessory is so ubiquitous because every home owner immediately sees the need for a simple way to protect people enjoying the pool from harmful UV rays. The pool umbrella can be easily stored away or taken out depending on the situation. There are two other kinds of useful portable shades. The portable awning is a much lighter version of its fixed cousin, the traditional awning. It can be easily moved from place to place. Also, a canopy structure serves much of the same function except it can have fabric walls to block wind also.

Besides outdoor shading, the home owner should consider a powerful temperature regulation system. The outdoor mister is such a regulation system. When activated, it sends tiny, microscopic drops of water into the air. When the water evaporates, the temperature of the cools, much like the way our bodies cool by sweating. A special fan for the outdoors can be used with the mister to speed up the evaporation and cooling.

Still have inquiries ? It might be worth it to check out our resources about the outdoor shade industry. Extra resources supplied for freestanding awnings can be read here.

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