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In Search of Shade

by

Many of us growing up in the South have a love-hate relationship with summer. The long daylight hours, iced tea and afternoon thundershowers help bring relief to our steamy days. New England relatives often ask how I can stand our heat and humidity, until I remind them that I am not shoveling snow well into April. So we have adapted to summer’s swelter by seeking refuge on porches or under large shade trees.

Prior to air conditioning, the porch was more than an architectural nicety-it was a necessity. Spacious porches were extensions of both our yards and homes. They served as gathering places for friends and family, and if you were lucky enough to have a wraparound porch and some tall trees, you had the best of both worlds. With trees casting shade over both porch and lawn, we ran through sprinklers, captured fireflies, read, shucked peas and watched the storm clouds gather. The advent of air conditioning and television changed all that. We retreated indoors and porches became small footnotes in home design.

It was not until after World War II that the backyard became the focal point for recreation and relaxation. Patios and decks started to come into their own in the early 1970s, when they replaced porches as a family’s favorite gathering spot. What began as simple squares evolved into multilevel entertaining spaces, with seating and dining areas, hot tubs, fire pits and grills. Even televisions have migrated outdoors, but with all they offer, these hardscapes often lack one essential element—shade.

In many parts of bay and river country, we still embrace tall trees and generous porches, but in recent years we have witnessed the concept of clear-cut housing developments. Like so many other things today, it is all about efficiency and the bottom line. Large scale developers love clear-cut lots.  They are so much easier to build on with no trees to dodge. They want to lay out streets, bury utilities and reshape the terrain for maximum space to build upon. Buyers delighting in the look, smell and amenities of a new home often overlook the loss of the natural world until summer arrives.

Under a broiling sun, decks and patios without shade soon become unbearable. Studies have found that on a 90-degree day, concrete and deck boards can reach temperatures of more than 160-degrees! Health experts have warned us for decades about the dangers of too much sun exposure, and new housing developments overlook the risks. So how does one provide shade when nature’s own air conditioning has been reduced to a single sapling placed in the front yard?

AWNINGS

Awnings are the original air conditioners dating back to the Roman Empire. Keeping you cooler outside and inside, awnings provide instant shade. They are usually attached to an exterior wall, most often above sliding and French doors. They provide ready access to shade when desired and can be wound back (manually or automatically) when not in use. A strategically placed awning will help you save money on electricity by lowering energy costs by up to 25 percent.

Awnings provide a cool and relaxing extension of your living area while still allowing us to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. They can be made from canvas or sun resistant fabric and will likely need to be made to measured and installed by a professional. Although not inexpensive, consider it a long-term investment for your home.

An awning will stay functional and beautiful for ten years or more, provided you do the required maintenance on the motor and housing, brush off debris and keep the fabric protected from severe weather. Most retractable awnings are limited as to coverage size. Non-retractable awnings constructed of fiberglass or aluminum can cover larger spaces and may even accommodate screening and ceiling fans.

SHADE SAILS

Most of us have one or more garden umbrellas that come out when it is sunny. A good idea if you only have a patio table and chairs to protect, but even the biggest sun umbrellas do not cover a huge area. They are portable, albeit unwieldy, but even the best models struggle under windy conditions.

Shade sails are a relatively new concept in the US. In Europe and Australia, they have been around for decades and are wildly successful. In recent years they have made an appearance in the US outside restaurants and in playgrounds. Shade sails make wonderfully flexible shade extensions that are quick to set up and take down. Unlike more permanent structures that may take days or even weeks to construct, shade sails can be installed in a matter of hours.

Shade sails can be one large piece of fabric or a series of smaller sails. Installation generally requires some hooks, ropes, and even pulleys so you can raise and lower the sails in a variety of weather conditions. They are also easy removed for storage in winter.

Pergolas

A pergola may not be your idea of a shade maker, but they can cast enough filtered sunlight to make even a warm afternoon enjoyable. Pergolas extend your outdoor living space, offer a variety of design options and can be tailored to fit most any budget.

Pergolas have stood the test of time. Although their styles, materials and names may have changed, their purpose has remained the same for over 3000 years. The word pergola is derived from the Latin word pergula.

Throughout history, pergolas have been used to cover walkways, paths, or as extensions to buildings. They allow light to flow through and offer a modicum of shade. In today’s gardens, pergolas provide permanent and graceful structures up which plants can grow, through which shade cloth can be woven, curtains hung or lighting strung. Unlike an awning, which is attached to your house, pergolas can be freestanding in any part of your yard and have few size limitations. The size of the pergola beams and their spacing determine exactly how much shade is provided. A pergola alone will never create a fully-shaded space. For that, you can turn to a pavilion or gazebo instead.

Gazebo versus Pavilion

Gazebos were common in Egyptian gardens 5,000 years ago. The structures were also popular in ancient Greece and Rome and were referred to as summerhouses. There was no denying the advantage of having a quiet, cool place to retreat to, and it was not long before gazebos became status symbols.

Gazebos and pavilions are commonly mistaken for each other because they have similar designs with solid roofs. There are a few notable differences however. Gazebos are outdoor structures with a solid roof and partially open sides that are often screened to create bug-free shade. The structure typically has a built-in floor or is placed on a concrete pad. In this country, they are often octagonal shaped but can be oval or rectangular as well. They can either be built from scratch, from a kit, or purchased ready-made and delivered to your home site. Roofs are typically shingled, although metal roofs have become increasingly popular. They provide a great deal of shade in a sunny yard, and with an electrical hookup, they can be wired for lights and a ceiling fan.

Unlike a gazebo, a pavilion is a roofed structure with completely open sides. Most pavilions are designed to be rectangular and are commonly used to provide shelter for a patio or seating area. Pavilions offer many of the same benefits as gazebos but are less visually intrusive. They are a good option if you want to keep an open site line across your yard.

Whatever outdoor structure you choose, it will provide years of enjoyment and more livable and thoughtful integration between house and yard. Come winter, you may even find additional uses for some of these with the addition of a fire pit, outdoor fireplace or infrared heaters. Enjoy a Southern summer!