As the weather gets warmer, we're all enjoying a little more time soaking up the sun with an al-fresco lunch or picnic in our back garden, alocal open garden or arboretum.
And, to keep cool and protect your skin from the sun's harsh rays, you can't beat an outdoor parasol or sun umbrella.
These super-stylish and colourful options are just the ticket! Now, where's our piña colada?
What's the difference between a parasol and an umbrella?
When is it a parasol and when is it an umbrella? There is no definitive answer. ‘Parasol’ derives from the Italian ‘parasole’ – literally, ‘for the’ (para) ‘sun’ (sole). Confusingly, ‘umbrella’ comes from the Latin umbra meaning ‘shade’ with the ‘elle’ denoting smallness.
While now we associate the umbrella’s shade with rain, the Romans used umbraculum to refer to both. Slang names range from ‘bumbershoots’ in America to ‘gamps’ in Britain. Some suggest one way to differentiate is to look at the handle; the parasol’s should be straight.
But as the silver-handled piece made for the Maharajah of Dungarpur in Rajasthan in 1947 shows, parasols with semicircular handles also exist. The debate rumbles on…
What are the different parts of a parasol called?
- Canopy -The fabric, paper or other material that forms the main protective element of the parasol. The earliest were made from palm leaves or linen.
- Rib-The ribs hold the canopy in its stretched position and are attached by stretchers to the main shaft. Canopies can be made straight when stretched over single ribs or have double ribs that allow a curved shape.
- Runner -Stretchers attach the ribs to a runner that slides up and down the shaft allowing the parasol to be opened and closed.
- Collar -The collar sits where the shaft meets the handle. Often these, like the handles, can be engraved and highly decorative.
- Nose cap-If your parasol has a curved handle, it may have a nosecap. Often crafted from metal, these act as a trim to protect the end of the handle.
- Ferrule-From the Latin for ‘small bracelet’ these are usually metal rings at the tip of the parasol or umbrella in order to protect the end.
Best garden parasols for 2024
Bloom Blue & Green Floral Garden Parasol
- Buy now from Oliver Bonas (£195)
Decorated with a pretty green and purple floral design, this garden parasol will look darling surrounded by the beautiful plants around your garden.
Gili Fringed Garden Parasol
- Buy now from Cox & Cox (£195)
Offering a vintage look, this classic parasol from Cox & Cox is the perfect piece to enjoy some shade in the summer sun. Featuring natural cotton fringing, a shade made from UV resistant and water repellent polyester and a brown powder coated steel pole with three height altering notches, you'll be the envy of your neighbourhood.
Black Square Printed Parasol
- Buy now from Rockett St George (£275)
For something a bit different from the norm, why not opt for a square parasol? This opulent design from Rockett St George takes influence from Morocco and features an eye-catching yellow fringe and a statement gold printed design inside.
Hanway Garden Parasol
- Buy now from OKA (£525)
Another neutral option, this oatmeal parasol features a robust wooden structure, perfect for setting over a garden dining table or pitching pool-side.
Riviera Parasol
- Buy now from Raj Tent Club (£249)
Embrace summer tones with this multicolour parasol from Raj Tent Club. Whether you're using it to create a shady spot in your garden or create a cosy beach nook, it's a stylish and practical choice.
Premium Parasol
- Buy now from The White Company (£295)
The White Company have created exactly what you'd expect; a timeless, neutral garden umbrella. Made in partnership with luxury lifestyle brand Business & Pleasure, this umbrella will give you six feet of shade whilst looking super pretty too!
Business & Pleasure Co Premium Parasol
- Buy now from AMARA (£249)
Topped with canvas with vintage fringed edging, this garden parasol from AMARA will add some charm to your garden. Also available in white, yellow and blue, it's the perfect way to add a pop of colour!
Luxe Charcoal Wave Parasol
- Buy now from Rockett St George (£150)
If you're not so keen on the more colourful designs, this one might be more your bag. Combining a minimal black wave pattern on a white base, this elegant parasol is perfect for enjoying in the garden or out on summer day trips.
Business & Pleasure Co The Holiday Lemon-Print Parasol
- Buy now from Selfridges (£170)
Nothing says summer like lemon-printed decor, and we just couldn't resist this lemon-print parasol. As well as the yellow fruit, this white-based parasol also has a lovely fringe around the edge, offering a vintage feel.
Fringed Parasol
- Buy now from Sarah Raven (£69.95)
Keep thinks simple with a solid, block-colour parasol. This one from Sarah Raven comes in three colourways: green, blue and orange, all with white woven fringing.
How to buy and care for an antique parasol
Antique shades are delicate, so keep old parasols inside and invest in new artisanal pieces for everyday use...
'Ohdear,’ is the instant reaction of Richard Ince, a sixth-generation umbrella maker based in east London, when I mention the possibility of restoring antique parasols. ‘Restoration is a nightmare. Pieces get rusty or rotten and it’s impossible to find the parts. Back in their heyday, there would have been hundreds of companies involved in the umbrella business – handlemakers, cloth suppliers, trimmers – and all the parts were specially made. You can’t even get the fabrics anymore as they were specifically woven for the umbrella trade,’ he explains.
The best way to care for an antique piece is to keep it inside and if you do have to take it outside, avoid the wind. ‘I don’t recommend going out with a late 18th-century carriage parasol,’ says Richard. He owns a small collection of umbrellas and Edwardian garden parasols. ‘I love them because they are what our company was founded on,’ he says. James Ince & Son’s two biggest markets to start with, the garden shade and the golf umbrella, grew out of the Victorian and Edwardian invention of leisure time.
‘The drama Downton Abbey should have had period garden umbrellas because they were the height of fashion, but probably the prop company couldn’t get hold of them. There are so few around,’ Richard explains. Today the demand for sunshades, in our soggy climate, is unsurprisingly small. The best parasol makers now exist in the world’s (warmer) fashion capitals.
In Paris, Michel Heurtault of Parasolerie Heurtault has been able to take apart and reassemble umbrellas since the age of eight, describing them as his Meccano. After a 20-year career as a costume-maker, he returned to his first love in 2008 and now makes parasols that are more works of art than sunshades. Take the silk taffeta number pictured here. It has a lacquered beech handle inlaid with mother-of-pearl and eggshell. His skills are so rare that France’s Institut National des Métiers d’Art has declared it an ‘orphan’ craft – one for which training no longer exists.
Another great parasol maker is Pasotti in Milan. Founded in 1956, it specialises in luxury limited edition shades, some of which are even set with Swarovski crystals.
More garden content from Homes & Antiques
- Best garden mirrors for every outdoor space
- 15 garden fire pits for summer evenings
- Stylish and comfortable garden sofas
- Best traditional and antique sun loungers
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