Evergreen Trees

In hot and humid climates with relatively mild winters like Florida or the Southwest, evergreen trees (that don't lose their leaves) are usually an excellent option to plant in front of windows. The constant, thick foliage of evergreen trees will reduce large amounts of sun exposure. Depending on the window's location and how the house is angled, you can prune these evergreen trees to allow for vistas from the window while still providing shade from the sun.

Deciduous Trees

In regions with colder winters, homeowners will want the winter sun to penetrate their homes. Passive solar heating relies on large windows to capture and store the sun's heat during colder months. However, those large windows, especially if they face south or west, are a heat trap during the summer. One way to avoid this is by planting deciduous trees or vines in front of those windows. Because deciduous trees lose their leaves during the winter, the lack of foliage will allow the sunlight to penetrate your home and offer a free source of heat. During the summertime, the thick leaf cover will shade out the sun.

A study in India—where extreme temperatures can routinely reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit—found that homeowners could reduce their indoor temperatures by 2.5 to 4.5°C with solar shading.

The average monthly electric bill in the United States is around $110. Since air conditioning can account for up to 50% of that cost during the summer months, some homeowners could potentially save up to $50 per month through aggressive landscape shading efforts. Add to this, reduced air-conditioning expenses also directly translate to lower greenhouse gas emissions, thus reducing your carbon footprint.

The trees, bushes, and plants that you incorporate into an external shading approach will further offset the carbon emissions associated with a home due to carbon sequestration. Trees and plants use carbon dioxide to grow, and they absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. They then store that carbon both above and below ground while simultaneously producing oxygen. A lush landscape around your home will also help purify the air around your home and positively impact the indoor air quality inside your home.

Landscape shading strategies can also help to reduce irrigation needs as part of a water-smart home landscape. While trees and bushes might need regular watering during the first year of establishment, their growing root system will better withstand droughts. This resilience can thus help to reduce a household's total water use. Of course, trees and other vegetation also offer wildlife habitat and play a fundamental part in biophilic design that allows your home to blend into the natural landscape.