Shade providers (4)
I believe the answer is:
elms
'shade providers' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for elms that I've seen before include "Trees (of late, prone to disease)" , "Mel's strange trees" , "rugged feature of country churchyard" , "Deciduous trees with rough serrated leaves" , "Trees sound like Cockney steering devices" .)