When the sun is beating down, patios can quickly get uncomfortably hot. And while parasols and pergolas can provide some welcome shade, Alan Titchmarsh’s clever planting trick can also make spending time on your patio more comfortable this summer.
In a recent Instagram reel, the gardening expert showed how he uses large, castor-wheeled planters, allowing him to easily move them around the garden, freshen up the layout, place plants in the best growing position and reposition them where they have the most impact.
And while it’s an easy way to refresh the look of your outdoor space, it’s also a clever solution To keep your patio cool in a heatwave. By moving tall, leafy plants next to your outdoor seating area, you can create more shade where you need it by taking advantage of the plant’s natural cooling effect on the air around it. He is also the smartest Think small patios If you are short on space and have a flexible option for a fixed one Get a garden shed.
I asked the experts why it’s worth replicating in hot weather.
How Alan Titchmarsh’s Movable Planters Can Cool a Patio
Plants are a natural way to cool outdoor spaces. Instead of absorbing and reflecting heat like floors and walls, they provide shade and release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration.
Richard Barker, horticulturist at LBS HorticultureExplains that the right plants can cool a patio by reducing the amount of heat reflected from surrounding surfaces and lowering the ambient temperature.
‘Plants with large leaves or dense foliage can block sunlight from heating patio paving stones,’ he explains. ‘Their leaves also cover nearby masonry, which helps keep the surface cool and prevents heat from returning to you. As plants release water vapor through transpiration, they absorb heat from the surroundings, helping to lower temperatures.’
(Image credit: Future)
From garden expert Lucy Bradley Easy Garden IrrigationThat said, this makes a movable planter an especially smart choice.
She says, ‘Plants are a beautiful, natural way to help reduce temperatures by providing shade, blocking harsh sunlight and releasing water vapor into the air.
Because the planters are on castors, you can move them wherever they’re needed most during the day, whether it’s next to your seating area, around the dining table, or to protect a particularly hot corner of your patio.
Shop for planters on wheels
Long linear planter with wheels
Mobile outdoor garden planter with wheels
Wayfarer
Forest Garden Linear Planter – Tall with Wheels
Unlike heavy pots that stay in one place, wheeled planters offer flexibility, says Lucy. If part of your patio becomes a sun trap in the afternoon, you can roll up a lush planter to provide cooling shade, then move it again.
They are also ideal for small, compact gardens where every inch counts. Instead of filling up valuable space with permanent raised beds, moveable planters can be rearranged depending on how you use your patio. They can also be wheeled into a more sheltered location during extreme weather or colder months, making them useful year-round.
What plants will help keep the yard cool?
(Image credit: Future plc)
To get the greatest cooling effect, choose plants with dense foliage, broad leaves or an airy canopy that creates some shade, says Lucy.
Richard recommends bay trees (pick up a 9cm pot from £9.99 at Thompson & Morgan) as one of the best options for containers. Their evergreen foliage creates natural shade throughout the year. The host (the Hosta Collection, £19.95 from Crocusis a good choice) and ferns are equally effective, due to their large, leafy growth (I like these The ‘Ostrich Fern’ variety, for height, is available at Crocus from £5.99). ornamental grassAs Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hamelan’, £14.99 from Thompson & MorganAnother great addition is that they reflect more sunlight than dark paving, while their soft foliage sways in the wind, helping to circulate air around your seating area.
Lucy also recommends crape myrtles (Rhapsody in pink, £89.99 from Thompson & Morgan is a beauty), whose airy canopy provides pockets of shade. Canna lilies, like this beautiful peach variety, Canna x gereralis ‘Cannova Bronze Peach’. £9.99 at Thompson & MorganAnother stunning choice, their dramatic tropical foliage creates lots of shade. However, they need plenty of watering during prolonged hot weather, especially when Grown in containers.
Buy expert-approved plants
Thompson and Morgan
Lagerstromia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Thompson and Morgan
Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hamelan’
Crocus
Matusia struthiopteris
Thompson and Morgan
Canna x generalis ‘Canova Bronze Peach’
Thompson and Morgan
Laurus nobilis
So there you have it! As temperatures rise, creating a cool outdoor space doesn’t always require a large or expensive shade structure.
Alan Titchmarsh’s Movable Planter trick is a flexible, space-saving way to help get succulent planting where you need it most. Make your patio more expensive on a budgetAlso makes it feel like a cooler and more comfortable place to spend time even on the hottest summer days.
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