Garden Shade
Make the most of the summer sun with our garden shade solutions, built to keep you cool when the sun shines, and still stay comfy if the weather keeps you guessing.
The ideal shade solution depends on how permanently you want to alter your garden layout. If you want flexible protection that you can pop up when the sun breaks through and pack away before an autumn storm, a premium parasol is a fantastic choice. For those who love hosting traditional summer garden parties, a gazebo provides great wide-coverage shelter. However, if you are looking to invest in your property and create a permanent, year-round garden feature, a timber or metal pergola establishes a beautiful structural zone that frames your patio perfectly.
A standard parasol features a traditional central pole, which is brilliant if you have a dining table with a dedicated hole in the middle. A cantilever (or overhanging) parasol has its supporting mechanism positioned entirely to the side, allowing the canopy to suspend effortlessly over your furniture. This is an incredibly popular choice for modern garden sofa sets, loungers, or children’s paddling pools, as it provides completely unobstructed shade without a pole blocking your view or conversation.
Traditional wooden pergolas are designed with open overhead beams to provide elegant, dappled shade and a structure for climbing plants like wisteria or clematis to weave through. While they don't offer a solid roof, they break the intensity of the sun beautifully. If you want a pergola that handles a sudden British downpour, consider a contemporary model with a retractable fabric canopy or a modern louvered roof with adjustable slats that can be closed completely to keep your patio dry.
Even on a lovely summer's day, a sudden gust of wind can easily catch an unsecured canopy. For parasols, it is vital to use a correctly weighted base - the larger the canopy, the heavier the base needs to be. For temporary structures like pop-up gazebos, you should always utilise the included guy ropes and ground pegs when pitching on a lawn. If you are setting up on a hard surface like a stone patio or wooden decking, we highly recommend investing in heavy-duty leg weights that clamp around the base of the frame to keep everything firmly grounded.
If you are looking for low-maintenance style, aluminium and powder-coated steel pergolas or parasol frames are excellent choices as they are highly rust-resistant and simply require a wipe down with warm soapy water in the spring. Traditional timber pergolas look wonderfully natural and rustic, but they will require a fresh coat of wood preservative every couple of years to keep the wood protected against the damp British winter. For fabric canopies, our high-grade polyester materials are designed to resist fading from UV rays.
To prolong the life of your items and keep them looking fresh for the next season, we always recommend taking down temporary structures like parasols and fabric-roofed gazebos once the autumn chill sets in. Ensure the fabric is completely dry before storing it away in a breathable bag in your shed or garage to prevent mould from developing. Permanent fixtures like heavy-duty pergolas are built to live outside year-round, though removing any detachable side curtains or fabric roofs will protect them from winter gales.