a large south facing window . Thankfully , a deciduous tree provides shade onto the glass . In winter , the leaves are gone and the interior receives the light and long shadows created by a low sun elevation . The deciduous tree we chose was a Japanese Maple for its red color and the sculptural qualities of its branches in winter . The window brings light from the second floor down into the middle of the ground floor kitchen area . We also used a Cut-Leaf Sumac tree to perform the same task .
You might ask how do the trees benefit ? Every building must make a choice about where to place the rainwater . Down a drain and into a sewer is one choice . Onto the adjacent property is a choice that will not make your neighbor happy . Water from your downspouts and into a rain barrel is an excellent choice . Ideally , this stored water is used to irrigate a garden . Our solution is to use the roof to immediately direct the stormwater into a landscape . The maple and sumac trees from our example are fed water from the roof . The roof may seem flat until you are inside and notice the ceiling slopes
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