Six garden canopy ideas for big and small gardens

Use wood or other materials to make a pergola and grow climbing plants such as wisteria, roses and even grapevines for a rustic look that blends in with the rest of your garden. Using scented plants will provide additional interest on summer days, while night-scented plants will delight your senses in the evening.

Looking for a waterproof canopy? Fix a waterproof, retractable awning to your pergola so you can pull it over when you need to. This will double up to provide additional shade when sunny.

Install a temporary sail

A sail canopy helps to create temporary shade when you need it, but doesn't take up valuable space when you don't. You can buy a simple sail in a variety of colours, and fix it to eye hooks in the wall, trellis or even freestanding poles to create shade exactly where you need it – and you can buy a waterproof sail to provide additional shelter in wet weather. A sail is a great garden canopy idea for a small garden and where you don't need a permanent solution to shade. It's also easy to make yourself – simply choose your material, measure up how big you need your sail to be and cut to size. You'll need a sewing machine to create an even hem and a grommet press to insert eyeholes.

Choose a parasol

Garden parasols are cheap and flexible, as you can move them around your space to create shade where you need it. They're a perfect garden canopy idea for small gardens as they can be stored in the shed when you're not using them. Like a sail, parasols come in a range of different colours, so you can choose one to suit the colour scheme of your garden.

Choose retractable awning

Awning offers a semi-permanent structure but takes up less room than a traditional pergola, and many are retractable, meaning you can fold or roll them away when you don't need them – perfect for small gardens. Adding awning to a house wall can help cool the house as well as provide shade in the garden, and you can choose from a variety of colours and styles to suit your home and garden.

Plant a natural canopy of trees

It's well known that trees provide shade and also help to cool hot areas, while providing food and shelter for wildlife. Good options include low-growing trees such as crab apple 'Everest', or something like a birch, which filters light and creates dappled shade, rather than blocking light completely.

Build an arbour

A timber framed canopy can be built over your seating or patio area to provide shade, You can do this yourself if you're handy with carpentry. Consider adding a piece of fabric to further enhance the shade provided by the arbour, or grow a plant up or near it to block or filter sunlight.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a canopy and a pergola?

A canopy provides overhead protection and comes in a range of shapes and sizes, from sails and sheets, to umbrellas and retractable awnings or the natural canopy of trees. A pergola is a permanent structure built in one area of the garden to provide year-round shelter. It often has walls and occasionally a floor.