Finally, it’s summer. And if it’s anything like last year, it could be an absolutely sweltering day. Long days in the garden beckon, but the scorching sun not only warms you, it can burn before you know it.
We are all much more aware of the dangers of sun damage than we used to be: from painful burns to premature skin aging and the risk of cancer.
In general, shadow is the best defense. And for that, nothing beats a good garden umbrella. Don’t worry: they don’t have to be the tired and tatty items you find in pub beer gardens.
Bright stuff: The ‘Poppy’ from East London Parasols whose ranger is handcrafted in workshops in Britain, Bali and India
They can be pretty, playful or antique – as long as they cast a shadow over you, they’re doing their job.
Opium on King’s Road in Chelsea is laden with treasures, both antique and new from Rajasthan. You step over worn marble statues of the elephant god Ganesha, baskets of steel lassi cups and newly woven fabrics.
The store’s owner, Tracy Kitching, regularly goes to India to see what turns up. And while she’s there, she oversees the store’s production line of hand-printed umbrellas.
“We use a lot of blocks for the designs, so each one is unique,” says Tracy. ‘The great thing about block print is that when you sit under the umbrella, it looks like you’re in a decorated Indian tent. It not only protects you from the sun, but is also visually appealing.
‘A parasol brings something beautiful and playful to your garden and forms a nice contrast to your lawn and your flowers. It is a central point for socializing and dining.’
Tropical: Opium’s palm print. King’s Road Company parasols range in price from £145 to £275
Opium’s parasols range in price from £145 to £275.
If you want something new and beautiful, check out East London Parasols. They are handmade in workshops in Britain, Bali and India.
The company’s founder, Lucy Ferguson, fell in love with umbrellas when she lived in South India and saw them used during religious celebrations.
She now employs artisans in Bali to handcraft similar pieces for the European market.
“Each Balinese round bamboo parasol is made in 20 separate stages,” she says. ‘From cutting the spokes of bamboo sticks to threading tassels for the fringes’
She also wants to make her company socially responsible. ‘We use sustainable, fast-growing bamboo and durian wood.
“And making these umbrellas gives jobs to communities of people. The traditional golden lotus motif on our Balinese round bamboo parasols is hand painted, it is a work of art.’
Vogue called her company “a sustainable conscious brand reinventing the colorful umbrellas of India and Bali and bringing them to our own gardens.”
They are lively and lively. There is heavy use of tassels blowing in the wind, adding a touch of soft movement to a sultry afternoon. There is also a range of complementary pillows made in Rajasthan.
The round Balinese parasols, including awning and pole, have a diameter of 2.3 meters and start at € 399. A supporting base in carved bamboo costs from £185.
If that’s a little steep and you want something simpler to keep the sun out of your eyes, the John Lewis aluminum wind-up parasol in attractive olive green features a handy mechanism to raise the awning, and a tilt joint so you can adjust the tilt the parasol to shade you as the sun moves.
The showerproof canopy is 2.7m wide and all cost £79.
Alternatively, Ikea sells a range of awnings that seem to differ only in minor details.
The best is the super cheap Strandön. At £17 it looks like it should be in a seaside ice cream shop, in a lurid polka dot orange and with a pole that can be stuck straight into the sand on a beach (or separate base). Also easy to transport, it’s one to pack up and go.
For something a little more understated, head to Selfridges for a blue pinstripe parasol from the aptly named Business & Pleasure Co. for £500.
No one seems to know for sure when exactly the humble garden umbrella became a parasol, but the choice has never been wider – or more colorful.