Five Creative Backyard Shade Solutions

Add shade and cool down the temperatures in your backyard

When it’s as hot as it has been this summer, having cool spots in your yard are necessary for comfort to enjoy your time outdoors. This can be especially challenging if your yard doesn’t have any mature trees. You can decide to plant some trees, but it’s going to be years before they provide significant shade. What can you do in the meantime?

Here are a few creative ways to manufacture backyard shade while tapping into your landscapes full potential:

Consider a cantilever umbrella.

These umbrellas come in various sizes and can tilt in different ways to shade the sun as it moves through the sky at different times of the day. You can use it to shade an outdoor table to make eating outside more enjoyable, and the amount of shade these umbrellas provide can be quite surprising. This shade can reduce the glare and temperature from the sun as you sit to eat your meal and talk with friends and family.

Build a pergola.

These attractive structures help filter sunlight, and you can also grow vines and other vegetation over them to increase the amount of shade and the aesthetic appeal they provide. You can build the pergola over a deck, patio area or another spot in the yard where you would like to be able to sit comfortably and relax. Of course, if you have trouble deciding where you would like to put it, you can always build more than one.

Install a retractable awning.

The advantage of a retractable awning is it doesn’t always have to be extended, and it can cool areas right off the side of your home and provide a nice place to sit and relax where the temperature is significantly cooler.

Build a covered patio.

Do you have an area off the back of your home where you would like to have a patio? Make the patio a reality and build a roof to go over it, creating a perfect space to sit and watch while the kids play. Having such a patio right off your home could help cool the side of your house, which could, in turn, reduce your overall energy bill in the summertime. Additionally, the permanent shade gives you an opportunity to grow different flowers and plants on the patio that don’t do well with direct sunlight.

Invest in a screened-in porch.

Having a screened-in porch gives a classic feel to a home. It creates a space with a sense of the privacy of the indoors, while still enjoying the fresh air. These dynamic outdoor living spaces have endless possibilities for use, from a coffee nook to your private outdoor office.

Significant shade can help make your yard a cool oasis on a hot summer day. If you reside in the KC metro Ryan’s Landscaping department can help you expand your outdoor living spaces by designing and installing a modern pergola, gazebo, or covered patio.

Need help selecting or planting your next shade tree? Contact us today and we’ll be glad to help!

By Allison Gibeson, Local Writer.