13 ways to create shade in your garden

With hot summer in high gear it's essential that we have shade in our gardens, not only for ourselves but even for some plants that require it.

We have some natural shade that comes from adjacent buildings or structures, as well as trees but there are times that we must become the creators of the shade.

Here are some great ideas we can use in our gardens, that create that coolness not to mention that cool and modern vibe.


Below we have the classic - the umbrella.  Limited in its' coverage but not in its' color or shape we can see the beauty of an intimate space created by this classic piece often seen in gardens.

Below we have the pergola created by either wooden beams or canopies of growing vines and grapes this structure can be as small or large as your imagination or need for intimate coverage.

Another new kid on the block is fabric made of sails.  The sturdy sun resistant fabrics are in all shapes and sizes and can be used to create spaces of shade in an array of different settings.

Below a beautiful canopy of sails with little square windows in them to allow for air to blow through and also for pockets of light. The coloful chairs create a punch of surprising color.

 Camouflage shades have been all the rage in sunny islands of europeans shores now for over a decade.  They can be bought in a variety of colors and compositions of fabric, from green to black to the classic cream.  Shown below they create a dizzying shadow effect as the sun filters through its' pockets of camouflage.  By far this is my favorite!

In reality your imagination is the only thing that stops you - below  sails made  of various fabrics are tied in a collage like array to create a mish mash of shade.

Enjoy!