3 Strategies for Landscaping In Windy Areas
You may feel like your yard is off-limits to landscaping if you live in a windy area. Further, it can be difficult to maintain the landscaping if your yard is always windswept. Fortunately, there are some landscaping designs and projects that can help minimize wind stress and make your yard a much more pleasant place to enjoy.
1. Install Solid Fencing
Solid fencing can go a long way toward breaking the wind so it bypasses your yard, but a proper windbreak fence does take some planning. A solid fence may not be the best option if you experience very high winds, since the fence may blow down. Instead, opt for offset panels, which block most of the wind while still letting a breeze through. The fence must also be tall enough so that the wind doesn't simply go over the top. A 6- to 8-foot tall fence is usually sufficient and well within most local building codes.
2. Plant the Right Trees
There are two considerations when choosing trees for a windy area. First, avoid trees that can't handle wind. Varieties like birch that frequently drop branches or chestnuts that are prone to splitting aren't a good choice in a windy area, as they can pose a hazard. Further, the high canopies do little to block the wind. Instead, opt for evergreen conifers that have dense needles from the tip to nearly the ground, such as thuja or spruce. Naturally, pyramidal trees will require little pruning and will block the wind well, but you can also opt for hedge varieties that are pruned to pleasant rounded or cigar shapes.
3. Vary the Landscape
A windy area is no place for a postage stamp style yard. You must break up the terrain so that high straight-line winds won't have a chance to form on your property. There are several projects that can achieve this. Installing small berms, terraced slopes, and low garden walls will redirect wind and break up the currents so high winds can't form. Further, use varying heights of landscaping plants. Instead of simple border beds, install island beds populated with low to medium height shrubs to help break up the wind. For seating areas, install pergola covers with lattice screens on the walls to help divert the wind. The more varied the landscape, the less of an impact the breeze can make.
Contact a landscaping service to discuss further projects that can help make your windy yard more pleasant.
Growing up in a tropical area, I saw a lot of green, vibrant plants and all kinds of tropical fruits. It led me to develop a real interest in creating backyard tropical fruit gardens and landscapes that really spoke to the warm weather and the tropical climate. I did a lot of research and talked with a few landscapers to find out the tips and tricks to getting things to grow and thrive. I created this site to help share what I have learned with others who want to create the same kind of tropical getaway in their own backyards.