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How to Create Shade in the Garden

By: Angela Judd | Updated: May 23, 2026

In a hot climate, knowing how to create shade is as important as knowing what to plant. The afternoon sun in Arizona’s low desert is intense enough to scald fruit, kill all but the most heat-loving crops, and shut down production on plants that were doing fine a few weeks earlier.

This post covers five ways to create shade in the garden, from thoughtful bed placement to shade cloth to using plants themselves. Even a little shade in the right spot helps.

Note: This post is about adding shade to protect plants from summer heat. If you’re working with a yard that doesn’t get enough sun and you’re trying to figure out what will grow there, that’s a different question. I cover it here: What Grows in Shade? Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers for Low-Light Gardens

Lush garden with raised beds, sunflowers, green plants, and a canopy overhead in a sunny outdoor setting.

Key Takeaways

Creating shade in the garden protects plants from the intense afternoon sun in hot climates.
To create shade, consider using natural features, shade cloth, sunflowers, umbrellas, or strategically placed plants.
Shade cloth comes in various colors and percentages, allowing customization based on the climate and plant needs.
Sunflowers provide low-maintenance shade, especially when planted on the west or south side of the garden.
Combine multiple shade solutions like sunflowers and shade cloth for optimal protection in your garden.

Garden Design

Raised garden beds with green leafy plants and chives growing, surrounded by mulch paths.

The simplest shade is the kind you already have.

Notice which areas in your yard get morning sun and afternoon shade naturally. These spots are prime real estate in summer, especially for vegetables that struggle in afternoon heat. South or west-facing parts of your yard will likely need added shade.

Northern Exposure: often shaded especially during the winter when the sun is low. This is the coldest area during a freeze.
Southern Exposure: Hot, but usually shaded in late summer afternoon.
Eastern Exposure: Sunny in the morning, but shaded in the afternoon.
Western Exposure: Shaded in the morning, but full afternoon sun.

Illustration of a house with sun, text explains northern exposure is shadier and colder, especially in winter.

Illustration of a house with sun; text explains southern exposure is hot but shaded in late summer afternoons.

Sunny house illustration showing eastern exposure: sun in morning, shade in afternoon, yellow background.

Illustration of a house; shaded in the morning, full afternoon sun, labeled Western Exposure.

Wondering if your garden really needs shade? In “Why Add Shade to Your Garden in Summer,” I explain how shade protects plants, conserves water, and extends your growing season.

Shade Cloth

Shade cloth is the most reliable way to cover a larger growing area.

The variety of colors and percentages available lets you customize how much light reaches your garden. Don’t think of it as blocking all the sun — the goal is to take the edge off when the sun is at its highest while still letting plants get the light they need.

Which color shade cloth should I use?

When choosing a shade cloth for your garden, consider the temperature differences between night and day as well as the average temperature in your area to determine which color is best suited for your needs.

White shade cloth reflects light & heat and cools better. Allows for flowering plants to produce. This is the type I use in my low desert Arizona garden.
Black shade cloth absorbs heat. Blocks light. Best for cooler climates.
Aluminet shade cloth reflects light. Increases full spectrum light. It can act as a thermal blanket, protecting plants from wide temperature variances from day to night.

Which percentage shade cloth should I use?

White shade sail over a lush garden with string lights and various green plants on a sunny day.

Shade cloth percentages indicate how much light is blocked, typically ranging from 30-70%. Here’s a guideline for choosing the right percentage:

North of the 40th parallel (Northern States): If your garden is located in this region, a 30% shade cloth is recommended. This provides enough protection while allowing ample sunlight for your plants’ growth.
South of the 40th parallel (Southern States): Opt for a 50% shade cloth for gardens in hotter climates. This higher percentage helps keep plants cool and prevents sun damage during intense heat.
Succulents & other light-sensitive plants: 60-70% shade cloth.

How far away should the shade cloth be from plants?

Do not allow the shade cloth to touch the plants; 2-3 feet clearance is best to allow air to circulate around the plants.

What is the best way to attach shade cloth?

Attach shade cloth to existing trellises with zip ties or carabiner clips. At the end of the season, removing the clips, rolling up the shade cloth, and storing it away is simple. When the summer heat comes again, reattach the shade cloth.

For a full step-by-step on how I built my overhead shade cloth structure, including pole specs, wire supports, and how it has held up over three Arizona summers, see How to Add Shade Cloth to a Hot Summer Garden. Click here to see the shade cloth resources I use.

Sunflowers

Add sunflowers around your garden to provide shade. Sunflowers are one of the easiest plants to grow from seed. Sunflowers grow quickly and, depending on the variety can offer shade to surrounding plants.

The Sundancer Sunflower from Renee’s Garden Seeds is my favorite sunflower for adding shade. It is a branching sunflower with endless blooms and a large plant that blooms nearly all summer.

Plant sunflowers on the west or south side of the garden for shade. Once grown in a garden, they often reseed and pop up year after year. Unwanted volunteers are easy to pull out.

At the end of the season, cut off the stem at the base of the dirt rather than pulling out the entire root system. The remaining root will decompose, adding organic matter to the area. Sunflowers can be planted in the low desert of Arizona from February through August.

Side-by-side photos of vibrant sunflowers growing tall in a lush, green backyard garden.

Umbrellas

Outdoor umbrellas offer good temporary shade. They can be moved and angled to provide afternoon shade where it is needed most. However, umbrellas often block 100% of sunlight; be sure to tilt them so plants receive some morning sun. As with any shade structure, be aware of strong winds and take down the umbrella before it tips over and damages surrounding plants.

Plants

Consider purposely planting sun-loving vining vegetables (Armenian cucumbers, Malabar spinach, hyacinth beans, etc.) to provide shade for other plants that don’t tolerate full sun. Notice where in your garden you could utilize plants as shade.

Low-growing crops like lettuce or spinach benefit from the shade provided by cucumber vines. For more great pairings, check out this post on what to plant with cucumbers.

Ten crops that provide shade, including roselle, luffa, amaranth, sunflowers, okra, and Armenian cucumbers.

Heat-loving crops that may provide shade for other plants include roselle, luffa, amaranth, black-eyed peas, Armenian cucumbers, sunflowers, okra, hyacinth beans, and sesame.

For long-term shade, choose plants that truly handle our desert conditions. This is why I recommend not growing Queen palms in the low desert.

Green leafy plants with red and green foliage and small yellow flowers growing in a garden bed.

Vining vegetables can be grown over artichoke crowns that go dormant during hot summers, protecting them from intense heat that might otherwise damage the crowns. Grow heat-loving plants on the south or west-facing trellises that shade other plants.

A vine-covered pergola works on the same principle. On the west side of my main garden, a pergola with vines growing over it provides afternoon shade for that side of the beds. Combined with the overhead shade-cloth structure on the east side and sunflowers along the western edge where the two shade sources meet, the main garden remains workable through the hottest months.

Not sure how much sun your veggies need? Check out this guide on Which Vegetables Need Shade (and Which Thrive in Full Sun) to help your garden thrive.

How I Shade My Garden

East side: four steel poles with white 50% shade cloth stretched overhead. Goes up when temperatures consistently hit 90°F (32°C) and comes down in the fall.

West side: a vine-covered pergola that provides afternoon shade naturally. Along the western edge: tall branching sunflowers planted on the south and west sides where the shade cloth ends and the pergola shade begins.

The side-yard garden doesn’t get any additional shade. Its position between my house and a neighbor’s two-story home already gives it morning sun and afternoon shade from the surrounding structures.

You don’t need all of these. Start with wherever the afternoon sun hits hardest in your yard and work from there.

Creating Garden Shade FAQ

What is the easiest way to add shade to a vegetable garden?

Sunflowers are the lowest-effort option. Plant them on the west or south side of your garden and they provide natural afternoon shade as they grow. They reseed readily too, so you often get them for free the following year. For more reliable coverage over a larger area, shade cloth on hoops or a simple pole structure is the next step up.

Do I need shade cloth or will sunflowers be enough?

Depends on your setup. Sunflowers work well along edges and for partial coverage. If you have a larger full-sun growing area that needs consistent overhead protection through summer, shade cloth is more reliable. Many gardens use both — sunflowers along the perimeter and shade cloth overhead.

Can I use a patio umbrella for garden shade?

Yes, and it works well for small areas or temporary protection. The main thing to watch is that umbrellas often block close to 100% of sunlight, so angle it to make sure plants still get morning sun. Take it down before high winds — an umbrella tipping into a bed can do real damage.

Does shade cloth need to be removed at night?

No. Leave it up through the season and take it down in fall when temperatures drop consistently below 90°F (32°C). Removing and replacing it frequently causes more wear than leaving it in place.

How do I know where to add shade in my garden?

Walk your garden in the early afternoon on a hot day and notice what looks stressed — wilting, scorched leaf edges, fruit with pale or papery patches. Those spots tell you where the afternoon sun is causing damage. That’s where to add shade first.

Other Ideas for Adding Shade

Here are some pictures I took from my previous gardens or other gardens that have added shade. You may get some ideas or inspiration to implement in your own garden.