Whenever you consider the Portuguese nation, you imagine fashion and style. But there seems to be one new fashion trend where the Portuguese are lagging behind and what’s a lot more surprising is that they are being beaten by the Australians! Summer in Portugal may be very hot, especially in the south and a certain amount of protection or shade is important to have the ability to enjoy the “outdoor life”.

It is therefore little surprise that in the height of summer, all of the local garden centres and DIY shops are packed with all manner of pergolas, gazebos and parasols of every size and colour imaginable. In the absence of a ready made piece of shade – perhaps a plane tree or Wisteria – most of us have to make do with a relatively temporary solution. But the ideal is to find a shade solution that is low cost, easy to install and which will look stylish…

Looking for a stylish shade solution?