8 Ideas for Garden Shades and Shelters

Expand your living space by creating an outdoor room topped with a weatherproof shade or shelter

Carol Bucknell 25 July 2016

Houzz New Zealand Contributor. Journalist who lives in Auckland and specialises in writing about gardens, houses and design. Author of two books on garden design: Contemporary gardens of New Zealand and Big Ideas for Small Gardens both published by Penguin. I also design gardens and am a passionate gardener. Currently I write the garden pages for New Zealand magazine Your Home & Garden and contribute to NZ Gardener and NZ House & Garden magazines.

Houzz New Zealand Contributor. Journalist who lives in Auckland and specialises... More

Comment23

Click "Embed" to display an article on your own website or blog.

The space above the garden is often the last thing people think about when designing their outdoor areas. Unless, of course, it starts to rain or turns unbearably hot, and suddenly shade or shelter are paramount. Hand in hand with increasingly changeable weather patterns nowadays, we also have the growing pressure on living space, with the garden often being used as an extra room. Having the ability to manipulate shade and shelter is therefore becoming more important to homeowners.

The way you define the vertical space in a garden can make a huge difference to how it looks and feels. At one time, we used trees and climbing plants trained over pergolas to do this job. Now we have all manner of man-made structures available, from shade sails and awnings to sophisticated overhead louvres. But you need to think carefully about design and materials as well as budget when choosing a vertical structure, as these will have an impact on its appearance. Taking your cue from other built elements, such as the house and boundaries, will help with this. If you’re still unsure, here are some options to inspire you.

C.O.S Design

Timber pergolas
These can vary significantly in cost depending on the type of timber used. This pergola by COS Design is made with laminated beams and dressed timber battens. Its contemporary design suits the house and garden very well, but more traditional-style timber posts and beams can be used for older houses.

Pros Natural timber can balance man-made materials in the garden, and well-designed timber pergolas like this one work as a sculptural element.

Cons Timber is a heavy material, so it needs solid foundations and skilled labour to look this good. It can also require repainting or restaining on a regular basis.

Arthur Lathouris Garden Designer

Pergola with climbing plants
Pergolas and arbours draped with flowering, fruiting or scented climbers are among the most traditional shade structures in gardens. Here, the owner has used wisteria over their pergola, which means the canopy will be bare in winter when the sun is most sought-after.

Pros Planted pergolas are an excellent way to bring the garden close to the house, with the added benefits of flowers, fruit and fragrance; living, green canopies are hard to beat for sensory pleasure.

Cons Leaf and fruit litter can cause problems, while some climbers are very heavy and need strong support.

See inspiring ideas for perfect pergolas

Bawtree Design | Architecture + Interiors

Awnings
Awnings, shade sails and canopies are becoming increasingly popular in gardens where pergolas and more solid structures are not an option. Their flexibility in terms of size and shape means they can be used to protect a variety of outdoor spaces, from sandpits to patios. Here, Bawtree Design used a retractable waterproof awning to shade this garden.

Pros Awnings are versatile and lightweight, and they suit most garden styles.

Cons They can stain and attract mould, and are not suitable in windy locations.

Discover how to weatherproof your patio for a British summer

amber hope design

Aluminium louvres
Electronically controlled, hand-operable or fixed louvres like this Louvretec system are perfect for contemporary gardens. They not only look great, they allow you to control sun, shade, light, ventilation and rain at the touch of a button.

Pros Automatic systems are easy to use and versatile. They have an attractive contemporary appearance, and aluminium louvres are lightweight, so heavy supports aren’t necessary.

Cons This is one of the most expensive shade/shelter options, and won’t always suit traditional houses.

Suzanne Hunt Architect

Motorised blinds
Retractable motorised glare blinds control the amount of sunlight that can penetrate this glazed canopy. Glare blinds suit both contemporary and traditional shade structures.

Pros These blinds can easily be changed depending on the weather. They control glare, reduce UV damage and give a clean, contemporary look.

Cons Blinds can only reduce sunlight penetration from above, not through the sides of the canopy. Automated systems are not cheap and need to be properly maintained.

Meken

Translucent sheeting
Adding a decorative ceiling below a canopy of translucent sheeting, as seen here, is a clever way to build a good-looking, but relatively cheap shade structure. The white-painted battens give the space a light, airy feel, but laminate and laser-cut screens, as well as a variety of other products, can also be used to disguise translucent sheeting. This material suits most informal gardens.

Pros It’s a low-cost material that allows plenty of light penetration, and interesting patterns can be created when the sun shines through.

Cons This type of sheeting is not flexible nor extremely durable, and it can be difficult to clean.

Sam Crawford Architects

Temporary shade
Many homeowners are happy to put up a temporary awning or sail over a simple pergola to shade their outdoor living areas in the warmer months, taking them down when the weather cools. Materials to use for this include sailcloth, canvas, muslin, polyester, garden shade cloth, rattan or bamboo blinds.

Pros Temporary shades are cheap and versatile. They add a lovely casual feel to a garden.

Cons Many lightweight materials are not particularly durable, nor are they wind- or waterproof.

Noxon Giffen

The designers at Noxon Giffen found a clever temporary shade solution for this house while waiting for grapevines to cover the structure. They used military camouflage netting, which is available at many army surplus stores.

Umbrellas
Umbrellas are the ultimate temporary shade structure. These are perfect for shading smaller terraces and eating areas. There are many variations on the traditional garden umbrella, including large, tilting patio umbrellas fixed to posts to make them more wind-resistant.

Pros They’re very flexible, quick to erect, are relatively inexpensive and suit virtually any style of garden with a wide range of colours and fabrics.

Cons Umbrellas are not ideal in windy locations. They can attract mould and dirt, and large umbrellas can need two people to put them up.

TELL US…
Which is your favourite style of shelter or shade? Share your thoughts in the Comments.