A south-facing patio sounds idyllic until July, when it bakes from late morning and nobody can bear to sit out until evening. A bit of well-placed shade turns that fierce sun-trap into the coolest, most-used corner of the garden.
Quick and movable shade
The simplest answers need no building work at all. A large cantilever parasol can be angled to follow the sun through the day, and a shade sail stretched between the house and a couple of posts throws cool shadow over a whole seating area.
Living shade
For shade that gets better every year, let plants do the work.
- Train a grapevine or wisteria over a simple pergola.
- Grow a leafy climber up an obelisk beside the seats.
- Stand tall potted plants to screen the lowest, hottest sun.
Cool the ground and the air
Hard paving stores heat and radiates it back long after the sun has moved on. Breaking up the expanse with planting pockets, pots of foliage and even an outdoor rug softens it, and the greenery makes the whole space feel several degrees cooler.
Think about the evening
The point of all this is to make the patio usable, so plan for the time you will actually sit out. A spot shaded at midday but open to the evening sun, with somewhere to set a drink and a bit of scented planting nearby, is a corner you will never want to leave.