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Roo Roofing Blog

DIY & HOME OWNER TIPS

19
Jul

Planting around your house: 4 things to remember

At Roo Roofing, we believe there are numerous elements that go into giving your home its ideal look, feel and comfort.

Along with a good roof, comfortable outdoor living space, and an indoor space with real character, plants are also a big factor. When you compare a city apartment block surrounded by concrete to a house in the suburbs with a lush garden, people tend to find the latter example more inviting. That's what makes plants and the sense of nature they bring so important to the overall feel of your home. 

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In this blog, we've listed some points worth keeping in mind when it comes to planting around your house - and even inside.

 

1. Consider your climate

The fact that certain plants flourish and others don't in different climates is common knowledge, but their ability to grow and flourish shouldn't be the only deciding factors when it comes to climate. Australia comes with a diverse range of climatic conditions - from subtropic heat and humidity to mild summers and snow-covered winters. Brisbane certainly falls into the former category, so plants that can both survive the hotter, harsher conditions and produce much-needed shade during the heights of summer are ideal.

In the southern states, the far cooler winters would make deciduous trees and plants a more appealing choice. They'll provide shade during summer, but then leaves will fall off and allow more sun to shine through on the days where you need such sunlight the most.

Still, you need to make sure the plants and/or trees you choose can handle the climate itself. There's no point buying plants in Brisbane that need a whole lot of water in order to survive. Otherwise you'll be having to water them yourself a lot (which can become very costly) considering the sparse amount of rainfall the city tends to get throughout the year when compared to the likes of Melbourne.

 

2. Choose indoor plants that help complement the look of your home

Most of us have a fairly specific idea of what we want the inside of our home to look like. Perhaps we want it to be defined by rich, dark colours; or perhaps we want to utilise bright colours to create a greater sense of space. Sometimes the interior look is informed by a specific setting - e.g. it's designed to mimic the feel of a beach. Whatever look you're going for, indoor plants can usually help you achieve a more complete sense of this look.

Say, for example, you're going for the beach look - you may want to purchase a couple of small palm plants. (There are some suggestions here if you're interested.) There are other plant options, of course, including the likes of flowers, variations of cacti and, if you have the proper foundations in place, indoor-friendly trees.

 

3. Be careful with where you plant trees

If you're going to be living in your current home for the foreseeable future, the planting some trees around the yard is a logical consideration. But don't forget to consider where you plant your trees. Depending on the trees you opt for, their root systems can be massive and, therfore, need plenty of room to grow and spread out. So planting them too close your home can be risky as the roots could dig into the foundations of your house.

Also worth being wary of is the fact some trees, depending on their size, could be risky. If a huge storm comes through with extreme winds, this can be enough to knock a massive tree over. If the tree is too close to your home and actually measures higher than your home), it could cause substantial damage - this may include smashing in your roof, windows, walling, etc.

 

4. Make sure you know how to care for each plant

One important (and admittedly obvious) factor to account for is that you know how to take care of each individual plant. While you may opt for plants that are less dependent on water if you live in Brisbane, that doesn't mean all of your plants will be able to survive for days, weeks or even months without human intervention. Often during the early stages of any plant or tree, you'll need to water them regularly so that they can grow to the point where they're capable of surviving without the need for constant upkeep.

Any plant or tree you buy will typically come with instructions on how to care for them (e.g. keep them in the shade, make sure they have plenty of exposure to the sun, water X amount of times per week, etc.) but if you're not sure, ask a gardening professional or check online. It's also important to be across the best methods of keeping pests away from plants and which approaches will cause the least amount of harm to the plants themselves.
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