A beautifully decorated backyard can serve you in many ways. It is proved by the experts that proper landscape gardening in the backyard not only increases the beauty of the house but also saves money by reducing the cost of hot or cooling system during the winter or summer, which amounts nearly $250 worth a year.
To make the yard energy efficient, the following steps may be taken for both the existing and soon-to -be-developed landscapes.
Keep out the Sun
The main thing, which should be taken into account, is the weather prevailing in the area. If there is Sunshine, the path the sunray follows should be taken into consideration as almost 90% of heat is absorbed if the house is hit directly by the Sun. This imparts extra load on the cooling system.
Deciduous, dense and big trees can be planted to the south or west of the house, and this would protect the house best from Sunrays during the summer as their foliage creates shades. Temperatures up to 10degrees Fahrenheit can be reduced in this way.
Throughout the winter these deciduous trees lose their foliages making access to the Sun’s heat which the walls and the foundation of your house need during this season.
Reducing wind blow
Wind blowing through the house is one of the primary contributors to lowering temperatures of the home. It has got more chilling effect compared to normal atmospheric temperature and is sinister in winter season in particular. Planted trees effectively serve as windbreaks. Fences located in strategic positions can also effectively prevent wind from blowing through the house.
Keep the heat or cold inside
Heat or cold that escapes through the home’s roof, windows, and doors are prime causes for wasting of energy. So it is very important to look for methods for keeping hot or cool inside.
Shrubbery planted around the home’s foundation creates a dead air barrier helping to keep heat and cool inside and this is necessary for a home. Widening the gap between the shrubbery and the house’s walls can increase area for the dead air as experts suggest.
In an aim to obtain maximum benefits while landscaping your yard or garden, you should follow the above tips. This would give you not only a pleasant looking yard but also an energy saver. And this will save money ultimately.
Mohammed Habbeb
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-this-simple-landscaping-tip-can-save-you-big-money-87870.html
Will you critique my first chapter please?
Chapter 1: Sorceress’ escape
Night was falling over the badlands of Artaris, the last of the sun’s brilliance stained the land deep red. This land was referred to as God’s palm by the locals for its gorges and deep valleys. Silence reigned over the scarred landscape, save for the faint sound of frantic footsteps.
A Mother with her infant daughter held tightly to her chest, hurried through the narrow fissures in the sand. Her hair was saturated with perspiration and her clothes tattered from her journey through the unforgiving terrain. On and on she sped through God’s palm, only slowing her progress to squeeze through tight passes. The sun was now completely gone, with only the faint slither of the new moon affording her vision in the hazardous wilderness.
How much further can it be? Please God, let him be here! She thought to herself, her mind’s voice sobbing with desperation. She’d have cried out to the world, had the fear of being heard not muted her. She even took the precaution of drugging her daughter so that she didn’t betray herself. The child still gripped instinctively to her mother’s tunic, its tiny knuckles white from the force.
It seemed as though her pleas were answered, when, the weak glimmer of a camp fire appeared in the distance. She doubled her pace, bounding over rocks and debris to get to her goal quicker.
This was the end of the gorge, its mouth leading out onto the steppes. The camp site was sheltered by an enormous slab of sand stone that spanned each end of the pass. There was graffiti carved all over the sandy walls, evidence that this has served as an idle haven in the past.
‘Narna.’ Called out a man sat by the fire. He was average looking and seemed not much over thirty. His skin was furrowed and coarse from his travels. He wore simple garments, but dressed in layers to protect him from the irritations of the sand.
‘ Cid? Is that you?’ Replied Narna her voice weakened by fatigue. ‘Heaven be praised, I feared that I’d come too early or too late.’ She approached the fire. Her heart burst with elation, she and her daughter were safe. Safe from the Empire, safe from persecution.
‘I arrived two days ago, so I pitched up as comfortably as I could. Luckily I am not totally unfamiliar with these lands so…’ Cid stopped mid sentence, his attention drawn to the infant. ‘ I am afraid that I cannot give both of you safe passage, Narna. One of you will have to stay. I’m sorry, but times are hard. I’m struggling to shift the stock I already have, I can only afford to take one of you.’
Narna’s stomach leapt to her throat, stopping her words from escaping. Except for sound of her take in a sharp breath. This wasn’t what they’d agreed. Her rage culminated him a vision of her taking a rock to his face to bludgeon some honour into him; stealing his horse would have been an option but she had no knowledge of the steppes. However she’d made it through the badlands safely enough, why couldn’t she do the same in the steppes? *This time I’d have water and some money… At the worst, I could pay a nomad to guide me to Tanis. she mused.
‘Take my child, her name is Cara. I beg you not to forget that.’ Narna whimpered. She forced her eyes to water to make her capitulation seem more authentic.
‘Very good. I’ll make sure that her future owner knows it too.’ He grimaced. ‘ You know I’m not a bad man Narna. I do what I must… I don’t leave until the morning, you may stay with your daughter for the night.’
Narna didn’t reply, but she didn’t have to. Cid knew that she’d want to stay with her child for even the few tender hours he’d allotted her. Cid gestured to a pile of bags and rugs, on which Narna promptly sat, before he turned his back to her as he rummaged through his horse’s saddle-bag.
‘ I have food if you want it.’ Called Cid from the saddle. Again Narna didn’t reply, but Cid proceeded to take out a generous cut of meat from his bag. Taking out a knife from his shoe, he cut it into to perfect halves in one clean, practised motion. He threw the fillets onto a rack suspended over the camp fire. ‘Shouldn’t take long.’
Narna simply bore into him with defiant eyes, making the tension between them palpable.
Cool beads of sweat slithered down his neck. It wasn’t the head of the flames, but the inferno that raged within the wounded Mother before him.
What can I do? If I take them both, I will be ruined and it is easier to hide a baby sorceress! If I am caught smuggling her over the border, I’ll be killed. Over the next ten minutes Cid continued to justify his self-preservation in his mind. Until his concentration was broken by Narna’s stony voice.
‘The meat is burning.’
‘Ah shit!’ Cid spat. Racing toward the rack, carefully lifting the meat off with his knife. ‘It’s not burnt Narna, only charred a little on the outside… Some people prefer it this way’, he jested nervously. He promptly offered his knife to her. She accepted the food equally as qui
OMG I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!! If i saw it in a store i would by it in a second! How old are you? You use great descriptive words and have a wonderful writing style. I love the main concept and would LOVE to read it.
p.s. im not exaggerating.
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I think it is good but I think there should be a little more backround information about why she is running. Kepp going you are doing great!
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I think it’s really great. I actually disagree with the person that said give more background. As a reader I think it’s better to discover the background along the way as the story moves forward. Really good job, Keep It Up!
Good Luck and truly hop you get publish!!
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That was amazing!!
Honestly, you deserve all the credit you get…your vocabulary and discription is absolutly brilliant.
How old are you? Have you done any english courses? I am very jelous right now but wish you the best and hope you get published!!!
WELL DONE!
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