There is still time to save up to buy something to provide shade for you when in your garden during the summer months, if not already. So if you don’t have either an awning or a parasol then it’s time you saved to get something so you can enjoy some time outside in the shade during the summer.
But what is best and why?
Awning: An awning can be costly and will require a professional to install it and it will be a permanent fixture that will be part of the exterior of your home that will be extended and retracted whenever needed. This will not only provide shade, it will also open up and extra area of space outside your home for recreation purposes in most weather conditions; you can get a heating system and lighting with the awning as an optional extra also.
The downside of an awning is that it will be fixed to one location outside your home, and you can’t move it t other areas in the garden as it would have became like an extension to the living space of your home.
Parasol: A parasol will be cheap and usually comes with its own bulky set of table and chairs that can vary in costs depending on the design and the materials used. You won’t need a professional to install it and you can move the whole set anywhere you want in the garden; even easier to move if the table and chairs set has a light-weight frame. The only exception is the counter weight for the parasol that keeps it in place, preventing it from moving around in breezy/windy weather conditions.
The downside to this is the that it won’t be suited in all weathers and the wind may cause an uplift of the parasol, which will thrust it out of the counter weight if not secured and probably injure somebody in the process. That being said if you click the pins into place to keep it fixed to the counter weight you won’t really have that problem, it may tip over if the winds are strong enough and the frame of the table and chairs are too lightweight to weigh it down.
Conclusion: Depending on your budget, and/or the size of your garden, in conjunction with your needs and the social aspect, you may want to get both so you have flexibility and can relax/chill out in various areas in your garden, under the awning or under the parasol.
If your budget is tight and your garden is small a parasol with the table and chairs would be better suited.