I live in Southern California, and my small backyard desperately needed shade. The look of the pergola is great, I love the arched style. But the functionality isn't really there. The canopy only rolls up about 5'6" from the ground, so if you are planning on using those sides as entryways, you will have to duck under each time. Additionally, I've had it about 2 weeks and the canopy is already starting to fade, despite being advertised as UV resistant.