How to Naturally Shade Your Deck

Install plants adjacent to your deck as evergreen screens. Consider Green Giant arborvitae (Thuja plicata “Green Giant”) or Nellie Stevens holly (Ilex x “Nellie R. Stevens”) as fast-growing evergreen trees that grow taller than a second-story deck.

Grow plants in containers on your deck. Choose small trees, shrubs or woody perennials that like full sun. Plant tall, fast-growing ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus species, which are also drought-tolerant.

Install lattice on vertical deck supports above the deck rails. Plant vines in pots below the lattice and train vines up the lattice. Choose ornamental vines with large leaves such as maypop (Passiflora incarnata) or vegetable vines such as tomatoes, which thrive in full sun.

Install hanging basket brackets around the deck or a freestanding multi-arm basket hanger. Fill large hanging baskets with full-sun plants. Add fast-growing trailing plants such as ornamental potato vine (Ipomoea batatas).

Place a large wrought-iron baker’s rack on the side of your deck to block the sun. Fill the shelves with pots and plant with sun-loving annuals or perennials.

Assemble a pergola frame above your deck. Train vines up and over the pergola to shade your deck naturally. Plant a native American wisteria such as Wisteria frutescens “Amethyst Falls” instead of an aggressive Asian variety, recommends Georgia Gold Medal Plants.