Whether we like it or not, climate change is here to stay, and we homeowners need to adapt. With summer temperatures in Colorado Springs continuing to climb and heatwaves becoming more frequent and intense, homeowners are increasingly looking to landscape architecture not just for beauty, but also for comfort. Creating “cool zones” in your yard is a smart and sustainable way to fight back against extreme heat while enhancing your outdoor experience. This goes far beyond simply planting a few trees for shade. Strategic landscape design can help create microclimates that actively cool both your outdoor spaces and even the interior of your home. As experts in landscape design, we’ll help you explore advanced cooling strategies tailored to the high-altitude, arid conditions of Colorado Springs, especially as things are heating up.
Understanding the Urban Heat Problem
Urban areas, including many neighborhoods in Colorado Springs, can become significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas due to the heat island effect. This phenomenon is caused by dark, heat-absorbing surfaces like asphalt, concrete, and rooftops, which radiate heat long after the sun has set. Rising temperatures from climate change are amplifying this effect. Fortunately, with thoughtful landscaping, homeowners can mitigate heat buildup, reduce energy bills, and create comfortable outdoor spaces.
Designing for Thermal Comfort: More Than Just Shade
While shade is crucial, designing for thermal comfort goes further. A truly well-designed yard should actively lower temperatures by blocking, absorbing, redirecting, or dissipating heat. Consider the following strategies:
1. Strategic Placement of Shade Structures
- Arbors and Pergolas: Place these on the west or southwest side of your yard to block the harshest afternoon sun. Opt for open structures with vine-covered lattices to allow air flow while still offering protection.
- Covered Patios and Outdoor Rooms: Extend living space and add cooler refuges with built-in patio roofs or gazebos. Use light-colored, reflective materials to reduce heat absorption.
2. Dense Tree Canopies and Vertical Shade
- Tree Placement: Plant large, dense-canopy trees like bur oak or Kentucky coffee tree on the south and west sides of your home. These can block solar radiation in summer while allowing sunlight through in winter once they shed their leaves.
- Vertical Green Screens: Train climbing plants like hops or trumpet vine on trellises to shade walls or outdoor seating areas.
Evaporative Cooling Techniques
In Colorado Springs’ arid climate, evaporative cooling is highly effective. Incorporating water and plantings that increase humidity can cool the surrounding air naturally.
1. Misters and Water Features
- Low-Profile Misters: Install misters in seating areas or under patio covers for immediate localized cooling. These systems add a gentle mist that evaporates quickly, reducing air temperature.
- Reflective Water Features: Small fountains or ponds near patios or windows provide both visual tranquility and evaporative benefits. Place water elements upwind from seating areas so cooled air is carried through the space.
2. High Transpiration Plants
Certain plants release large amounts of moisture through their leaves, which cools the surrounding air as the water evaporates.
Good Choices Include:
- Aspen trees (higher water use, but great transpiration rate)
- Red twig dogwood shrubs
- Sunflowers and other large-leaf annuals
Combine these plants around gathering areas, walkways, and entry points for passive cooling benefits.
Cool Pavement and Heat-Reflective Hardscaping
Traditional concrete and asphalt can trap heat and contribute to uncomfortable temperatures in the yard. Replace or redesign these surfaces to help reflect sunlight and encourage ground cooling.
1. Lighter-Colored Pavers
Choose pavers in light gray, tan, or white to reflect solar radiation rather than absorb it. These materials stay cooler to the touch and reduce heat buildup.
2. Permeable Surfaces
- Gravel, decomposed granite, or permeable pavers allow rainwater to seep into the ground, cooling the soil and reducing runoff.
- Grasscrete or turfstone blends green space with structural support, maintaining airflow and permeability.
3. Emerging Cool Surface Technologies
As heatwaves become more intense, cool surface technologies are becoming essential tools in modern landscaping. Some companies now offer coatings or materials that significantly reduce heat absorption. These include:
- Cool pavements are made with high-albedo (reflective) materials that reduce heat absorption.
- Reflective coatings like CoolSeal® can be applied to existing surfaces. It was originally developed for streets but is now used in walkways and playgrounds.
- Porous and permeable pavers such as Turfstone™ or Belgard® Permeable Pavers, which create concrete grids that combine hardscaping with grass or gravel for both cooling and water absorption.
These surfaces can lower temperatures by 30°F to 50°F compared to traditional materials and reduce radiant heat near your home. Plus, they often require less maintenance over time and can help with stormwater management.
Designing with Airflow: Wind Tunnels and Breezeways
Harnessing wind is another powerful way to passively cool your yard. With Colorado Springs’ frequent breezes, proper planning can direct airflow to your advantage.
1. Wind Corridors
- Use Hedges, Screens, and Fencing: Position them to funnel prevailing winds (typically from the west or northwest) through the yard and towards patios or windows.
- Gap Spacing: Allow gaps between plants or fences to encourage airflow rather than create wind blocks.
2. Outdoor Breezeways
Covered walkways between structures or open-sided patio spaces can promote air circulation while providing shade. Consider linking garden structures with these design elements to move air efficiently throughout the space.
Vegetative Roofs and Living Walls
Though more common in commercial applications, green roofs and walls can be adapted to residential use—even on a small scale—for meaningful cooling.
1. Green Roofs on Outbuildings
Installing a vegetated roof on a detached garage, shed, or pergola can reduce heat buildup and lower surrounding temperatures.
2. Living Walls
Vertical gardens installed on sun-exposed fences or patio walls not only insulate but also provide evaporative cooling. Use drought-tolerant plants like sedum, creeping thyme, or blue fescue.
These green elements add biodiversity and beauty while lowering ambient air temperatures.
Additional Heat-Resistant Design Tips
- Minimize Heat-Retaining Materials Near Windows: Avoid placing large stones or dark mulch near windows, where heat can radiate into the home.
- Layering with Plantings: Use groundcovers under shrubs and trees to insulate soil, retain moisture, and prevent heat reflection.
- Nighttime Cooling: Install low-voltage or solar lighting to enjoy cool zones after sunset without adding heat to the yard.
Cool Yards, Cooler Homes: A Smart Investment
Smart landscape design doesn’t just improve outdoor living—it also reduces your cooling needs indoors. By shading walls and windows, reducing reflected heat, and encouraging air movement, you can lower indoor temperatures and ease the burden on your air conditioning.
For homeowners in Colorado Springs, planning for thermal comfort is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Partner with Fredell Enterprises to Beat the Heat
At Fredell Enterprises, we understand the specific climate pressures of Colorado Springs and how to build landscapes that offer beauty, function, and resilience. From shade structures and wind corridors to custom water features and eco-friendly hardscaping, we tailor each design to help your home and yard stay cooler, even in the peak of summer.
Let us help you design a yard that thrives in the heat. Contact us to get started or explore our landscape design services today.