Best shade for your garden

In this blistering heat you may be thinking about the best shade for your garden – whilst pergolas and umbrellas can help protect from direct sunlight, a tree or group of trees can have a much more substantial impact, and often at a fraction of the cost!

The depth and scale of a tree canopy is one factor, typically resulting in up to 5 degrees more cooling versus a man made structure. This is further enhanced by transpiration- trees move water from their roots through to the pores on their leaves where it is released as water vapour, creating a temperature reduction of up to 5 degrees in the surrounding air. Not only is this much more satisfying and comfortable for people (and animals), it can also reduce the cooling costs for buildings by up to 30% if strategically placed trees are used.

Creating shade and screening – the structure of a garden

In larger spaces, beginning a stand of trees is a delight, and it is amazing how fast the tree cover impacts on the overall feel of the space. This flood plain garden was a barren wasteland when we arrived, and now (a few years later) it has gorgeous screening and shade all round the garden with a mix of massed planting for boundary screening and selected specimens for seasonal interest and focal points. See more of this garden on our portfolio page here.

If I have a smaller garden can I still use trees for shade?

Whilst a grand large tree is a wonderful thing in a garden, many of us do not have space for giants! There are plenty of smaller trees that will either stay relatively small naturally, or can take clipping to stay in a particular form. Roof form trees work particularly well for this, coming in as ready-made “table top” shapes that can be allowed to grow together and thicken, or kept as individual forms as suits.

“Box head” forms can similarly be kept clipped to frame and shade particular areas (as well as looking very cool!) although probably unsuited to a tiny space!

Hardy palms are typically slow growing, evergreen and take up little space, although these do set a very particular tone for the garden and need to be used with care.

Where to get trees?

There are good UK nurseries that will provide a great place to view and select your trees if this is something you wish to do yourself. For larger trees and a great planting service with a guarantee, try Majestic Trees.  Hilliers have an amazing arboretum and also sell trees. Most retail nurseries do not have a large tree selection, although smaller fruit trees and standard varieties can be picked up in many. The Palm Centre is a great place for UK hardy palms, tree ferns and olives.

Larger and more specialist forms are typically sourced through the Trade and European Nurseries. To access these, you are better off using a Garden Designer to help you select and organise the right trees for your project and ensure they are well selected and in the right places. Many garden designers (including us at CGLA) are happy to take you with them round a trade tree nursery if you are keen to select your own stock, and this is a great opportunity to share ideas and get an insight into what is available commercially and the cost impact of buying at different sizes. We also regularly visit the European tree nurseries to select, photograph and tag options on trees for our clients.

Trees obviously have far more value than simply for shade- screening, adding biodiversity, seasonal interest and fruit as well as simply looking beautiful. Feel free to contact our design team for a chat about what you would like to achieve, or explore our portfolio pages for more examples of how trees can enhance your garden.

CGLA are an award winning team of Garden Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscapers and Garden Maintenance Operatives working in Buckinghamshire, London and the South East, as well as on prestigious design projects across the UK and abroad. We are currently working in Oman, Jersey and France, and welcome enquires for design, landscaping or garden maintenance. Contact us here