Depending on what part of the country you live in, summers can get really hot. It's almost enough to make you want to stay inside your house with the air conditioning on full blast. Sitting outside on summer afternoons and evenings is one of the best simple pleasures life has to offer. Since you probably don't want to spend your entire summer indoors, there are a lot of ways to keep your backyard cool and beat the summer heat. Read these patio shade ideas to get the most enjoyment out of your yard this summer.
Umbrellas
The easiest of our patio shade ideas is putting up some umbrellas in your yard. You don't want to get just any old umbrella, though. You want the best patio umbrella you can get. A high-quality umbrella will do a better job of keeping the heat off of your patio furniture. Make sure the patio umbrella you get is made of durable materials. If your umbrellas can't take wind, rain, and other nasty weather, then they won't give you good shade for very long. Umbrellas that you can easily adjust make for great sun cover, too. Being able to switch your umbrellas' positions at a moment's notice will help you keep yourself and your guests shaded as the sun moves toward the horizon.
Plant Trees
One of the best sources of shade for your yard is a natural one: trees. If you don't have good trees in your yard, you can always plant new ones. Planting new trees means that you get to decide where the trees go, so you can put your shade exactly where you want it. Some of the best-known shade trees include oak, maple, elm, and sycamore. Even if you put in your own trees, though, you can't always shade a large amount of patio underneath them. For these situations, a hammock can be the perfect seating solution. Not only are hammocks perfectly comfortable, but they are small enough to fit underneath most shade trees. With one or more hammocks, you can enjoy your shade in ease and luxury.
Under Canvas
If you've got umbrellas and trees and you're still lacking in the shade department, draping a canvas is a simple and easy way to put more shadow onto your patio. If canvas is hard to come by, a tarp or any other cloth can do the trick, too. You can easily use these kinds of materials to cover any area of your patio. Configure your canvas and patio furniture in any numbers of ways to get the optimal amount of shade.
Pergolas & Gazebos
If you have the time and resources to build one, pergolas and gazebos are perfect patio shade options. Build your structure, place your favorite backyard furniture underneath it, and voila you've got shade. The number of configurations is as large as your imagination. If you'd like even more shade under your pergola or gazebo, consider growing some wisteria on the wood. These vines grow out and provide even more shade, keeping you cool from the sun's rays. No one likes feeling like they're burning up in the summer. Enjoy your yard with class and comfort by augmenting its shade. Whether you choose to add umbrellas, trees, hammocks, canvas coverings, or even shady structures to your yard, these patio shade ideas will help you keep your cool this summer. To learn more about creating the perfect patio, read about extending your living space on our blog.
