Hardscapes

Shelters

30 August 2023

Explore how to use shelters to provide essential protection from sun and rain, create community gathering spots, and shield sensitive plants.

A round garden gazebo with four people posing around a table and square chairs, surrounded by plants and flowerswith buildings and a shed in the background.

Shelters are important in community gardens to provide protection from rain and sun. They can come in a variety of designs and materials and can be customised to serve different functions, such as community bonding spaces, storage spaces, propagation stations or spaces for your compost. Shelters that are above 1.5m in height will need approval from the landowner and relevant authorities. Seek assistance from your grassroots organisation or managing agent before erecting such shelters in your garden.

Types of Shelters

An arched red pavilion with a table and various items is on the left of the image surrounded by groundcover plants and concrete pathway, and an in-ground garden on the right of the photo.

Pavilions are simple shelters with a solid roof and no walls. These are ideal for providing seating and storage options as gardeners will naturally gather under these shelters. Pavilions should be installed by contractors to ensure safety and resilience against the elements.

A wooden pergola stands in a residential courtyard surrounded by greenery, a low fence, and multi-storey buildings.

Pergolas are usually made of wood or metal, and have a slatted roof for vines to grow over. These shelters will not protect you from rain, but are ideal for providing dappled sunlight conditions for a rest area or to grow plants that need more shade.

Several small plants and seedlings in containers on a tiered wooden shelf with a sign reading "The Seedling Station 幼苗站".

Propagation stations are usually small shelters built to protect vulnerable seedlings and cuttings from direct sun and rain. These stations can be standalone or incorporated as part of a larger structure. Propagation stations can have a solid roof, or a simple netting with fine mesh.

A rectangular garden bed with a triangular canopy and leafy green plants, surrounded by a lawn and landed houses.

Rain shelters are small shelters with solid roofs made of clear plastic that completely protect plants from rain. Plants like tomato and chilli often benefit from growing under such shelters as their fruits are vulnerable to rain damage.