ou need not rely on trees alone for shade. Construct a self-bracing terrace roof in an egg-crate design, using the side of your house and wood, masonry or metal pillars. Corrugated plastic and reinforced glass are in frequent use nowadays because they are watertight, yet let the sunlight through. Coming into more and more architectural use in the 1950’s - particularly in hot climates - was the “parasol” roof, extending from the walls of the house some 4 feet and even more to give pleasant shade to the surrounding area.
Since glare reflected on bare grounds is a source of heat, a carpet of shaded grass under the parasol roof helps to keep the house cool. Often an outdoor living space gets twice the use if it is made more accessible. A window in a living room can be converted to a French door, making it more natural to step right out on the terrace instead of walking around the house to reach it. A terrace that is an extension of a narrow porch - a paved area adjoining the porch will make the porch that much more livable. A flagstone path or any other path - leading to a terrace away from the house will increase the usefulness of the terrace. Some kind of hard flooring is of prime importance, whether it is of brick, crushed rock, cement, wood block, or flagstone, because it makes it easier to move the furniture around and eliminates worries over tramped-on turf.
In fact, it is a good idea to have a terrace in a spot where you are having trouble with the lawn.
Outdoor living space is successful, too, when it is sheltered away from street noises and traffic, from the neighbors, from the wind. An unused corner of the house or the garage, with the aid of fences and walls, can turn into a sun trap that will stretch out the season for outdoor living both in spring and fall. A louvered board fence, a basket-weave fence, asbestos laid in cement to form a modern wall, or the traditional brick wall, all are pleasant backgrounds for planting and good screens against wind and other disturbing elements.
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