Backyard garden: getting ready to "BEAT THE HEAT"?

Question

Hey all,

I live in and am a citizen of Dubai, UAE; where the weather is extremely hot and humid from late May to mid September ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dubai... ).

I wonder how I can create a cooler environment in my own backyard garden.

Maybe certain plants? certain shades? or maybe a certain device that can help decrease humidity/temperatures?

Please share your ideas.

NOTE: I do have a dog that spends most of his day outside, and a toddler brother that often plays outdoors too.

awaiting your answers

thanks in advance !

Answer 1

Shade, plenty of greenery, misters.

Answer 2

Most definitely trees for shade! Tropicals are okay but you must also be concerned with watering.  I'd find some evergreens that grow in  your climate, maybe cedars?  If you can find rock, also add it to the garden.  Large rocks would be great but if they are unavailable stack small ones and if you're really creative find some used masonry blocks and arrange them in different "shapes".  The main thinking here is to give shade, save water usage, and have something that would cool down at night and help keep the area cool in the days, rock.  Good luck, sounds like a great idea!

Answer 3

With that sort of climate almost anything tropical would grow.

I wish I had that problem.

Go to local plant shop to see what is being sold.

Walk around the town and see what other people have planted and what is growing well?

Make a list as you go around. This list is what you will use to make you own garden.

Good Luck

John

Answer 4

I would suggest you plant lots of shade bearing shrubs or trees, exploring what plants grow well in your region.  

Utilizing permaculture principles to build up a good basis of soil would be a good idea to assist in the growing of plants by minimising water evaporation to the roots of the plants. Sheet mulching is a simple and cost effective way of achieving a great medium for growing plants.  This involves thoroughly soaking newspaper in water then laying it quite thickly on the ground where you intend planting, cover this with compost and then straw, water well then leave for up to 4 weeks as all the weeds under the newspaper die off and the newspaper, compost, straw  create a perfect eco-system to support plant life.

Another suggestion is to put up a shade sail or shade cloth in your yard, these are usually cheap and provide some shade.

Also what about building a pergola and growing grapes or some other vine over it.