Garden awnings have been gracing landscaped outdoors since the beginning of recorded history. This stands in mute testimony to the timelessness of their charm and versatility. Of course, the garden awnings we see today in private and public parks have come a long way since the Egyptians first introduced the concept. They are true marvels of modern technology and design, and very few home owners have not dreamed of having garden awnings to protect their personal outdoor spaces.

You may be confused about whether you actually need garden awnings. The first yardstick is, of course, the amount of outdoor space your home has. You should also consider what you intend to do in the area once garden awnings protect it. If your garden is big enough, you can actually use garden awnings as a means to extend the interiors of your home into the outdoors – in other words, make the space a liveable area that can be used for most indoor activities. In other words, garden awnings can transform your garden or backyard into a full-fledged party zone or a play area for your kids. Thanks to the advances in modern materials and design technology, neither heavy rain or sizzling sunshine can make a dent in today’s garden awnings. The result – an outdoors living room that serves almost as many purposes as the indoors version.

There are may kinds of garden awnings. Many are free-standing models, which are best suited for bigger gardens. However, smaller gardens are best served by garden awnings that attach to an existing wall of the house. In all cases, they are constructed of steel, aluminium or wooden frames over which weatherproof canvas or some other kind of resilient synthetic material is stretched. Depending on your requirement, you can choose to buy either permanent garden awnings or the retractable kind. It is sometimes hard to decide on which kind suits one’s home, often owing to irregularly shaped gardens or backyards. If you face such a quandary, you can buy customized garden awnings which will invariably fit the bill perfectly.

Garden awnings are very cost-effective these days, mostly because so many companies are vying for a share of this very lucrative market. Of course, you need to shop around for the best deal. Once you have your budget in place, you can you’re your pick of the available sizes, shapes, materials and models. Whatever configuration in garden awnings you choose, be sure to settle for nothing less than the perfect solution to your needs.