AWNINGS AND SHADE
If the patio catches the midday sun you may find the glare and heat all but unbearable in summer. If there is no tree nearby, an awning or overhead screen can cast the necessary shade.
Types of Awning
Some awnings are designed to be attached to a house wall and are operated either manually or electronically. This restricts both their use and their design: they are an option only if the patio abuts a house wall; there must be a sufficient stretch of wall to accommodate them, and they must be rectangular or square in shape. If placed just above a sitting-room window or a pair of patio doors, they will have the dual function of shading the room. This type of awning is traditionally made of striped fabric with a scalloped or fringed edge. If you want something a little more individual, you could have a bespoke canopy made of canvas or sailcloth, to sling between poles or the patio walls.
If the patio is some distance from a suitable wall, a stand-alone awning will be required. At its simplest, this could be a large parasol; these are often designed to be used in conjunction with a table, and they have the advantage that they can be moved around as the direction of the sun changes. A rectangular gazebo, like a tent with open sides, will keep sun or rain off a larger table and chairs.
No awning is fully weatherproof. If accidentally left in the rain, they should be allowed to dry out fully then stored dry under cover.
Pergolas and Arbours
If you are building a completely new patio that is likely to be in full sun for most of the day, consider building a pergola to provide shade over part of it. A pergola is simply a framework of wooden posts with cross-pieces, but when it is clothed with climbing plants in summer it can become a shady room. A free-standing pergola constructed some distance from the house and built over a paved area will be a private, shady place.
A well-built pergola will be strong enough to support a large wisteria or fruiting vine, but it is also a perfect structure over which honeysuckle, roses and clematis can be trained. The deciduous hop (Humulus lupulus) will provide reliable summer shade but disappear in winter to admit all the Available light.
An arbour is smaller in scale than a pergola but also offers opportunities to create a hideaway covered with fragrant climbers. Even a simple rustic arch, set against a hedge, will provide sufficient shelter for a table and two chairs, and a larger area, perhaps with a gazebo or summerhouse, will be a delightful retreat on a hot day.
CREATING A FOCAL POINT
A focal point is an important aspect of any garden design, providing a resting place for the eye in much the same way as a fireplace in a sitting room, even though there may be other objects of interest present.
It need not be a permanent fixture. If, for instance, your patio is some distance from the house but visible from it, a well-positioned chair might be used to draw your attention to it.
A more permanent focal point can be provided by an ornament, a large con- container or an imposing plant, and other elements on the patio can be arranged to lead the eye toward it. A series of linked focal points can be useful in a large garden to draw different elements together, but they should be positioned so that they are not all visible simultaneously. Only when you arrive at one focal point will you be aware of the presence of another. Conversely, a single object can do double duty at the axis of two paths, providing the focal point for both. There is no limit to the number of visual games you can play.
Mark out the position of focal points with string stretched between pegs, and move them around until you find the right spot for the object. If the intended focal point already exists — for instance a garden door or a tree — use the string to determine the lie of the paths.
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