During the winter, we’re all counting down the days until the sun comes out again and we can get back into the garden. But when summer arrives and you’ve been sitting in the boiling hot sun all day, you may be praying for shade. If you want your garden to be comfortable, you need a good balance of shade and sunlight, so you don’t get overheated and you can get a bit of respite from the sun when you need it. Some gardens are naturally shaded but if your outside area gets full sun for most of the day, you need to create some shade. Here’s how you can add more shaded areas to your garden.

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Install Higher Fences

Adding a bit of height to your fences or walls will allow you to make more of a shaded area underneath. A good head height for a fence is around six feet, this allows enough room for some plants to grow up and cover the lower part of the fence creating shade from above. If you only have low fences, call in a fence installation company and get something more robust. Having higher fences not only gives you more shade, it also creates more privacy and makes your garden more secure. 

Plant Trees

If your garden is particularly large, you could consider investing in a few trees. If you have a smaller garden, just one tree will help to give shade and create interest. There are lots of different types of trees to choose from that give different levels of shade, depending on their leaf density. When planting trees, make sure that you get some advice from an expert because they can be difficult to care for and may cause issues in the garden. This is particularly true if you plant them close to your house because the roots can cause foundation problems and branches near the roof act as an entry point for pests like rats. 

Use A Parasol

You can buy parasols that you will be able to slot into the ground and then pop up when you need it. This is a good idea if you want to use one in your garden during summer and then take it away again at the end of the season. They’re easy to store and don’t look unsightly because they have a collapsible design so won’t stick out from your fence or wall. 

Install A Pergola

Pergolas are traditionally made from stone or wood, but for shade purposes you could consider using plastic or metal materials. That way, they’ll last longer without corroding and getting damaged by weather conditions – especially if they’re going to get a lot of sun exposure all day long! Pergolas are the perfect way to turn your garden into a summer haven. When you build a pergola, you can run it parallel with your fence and then plant climbers on the wall so they’ll create shade as they grow up. At the top of the pergola, you could put some vines or roses to help give extra shade and cover. 

These simple adjustments to your garden will create more shade and make the space feel a lot more comfortable.