Garden Pergola Design

 

Pergolas, arbors and gazebos are important garden structures which allow the garden designer to add something unique and interesting to even the plainest design. Usually wooden, but increasingly common in iron and metal, these structures are brought to life by the simple addition of climbing flowering plants such as roses and clematis. Garden pergola design is usually an open designed archway which is, more often than not, free standing but now often attached to a deck (acting as a gateway to the rest of the garden).

Both the sides and top of the pergola are usually very open and are commonly made of open trellis work. This allows for the free flow of light and air while offering some shade and protection. The most basic garden pergola design is two posts and a cross member to which is then added some trellis to help a plant grow up the sides and, eventually, over the top, creating a natural looking arch.

If you are planning on building your own pergola it is important that you lay a concrete foundation into which you will place the upright beams. This is incredibly important if you are using a basic garden pergola design because the pergola will have to be able to withstand the weight of the plant, plus the fact that the plant will also catch the wind which also increased the pressures upon the posts.

Of course it is not obligatory to have plants growing up and over your pergola and many people choose to leave them bare. All wood in pergola's, and other outside structures, should always be pressure treated with preservatives. If your pergola is to remain bare then it is important that the wood is finished in a reasonable fashion - that is that there are no rough edges etc. Furthermore you should consider the color, and today the choice is wide from numerous shades of green to yellows and blues. Be prepared to have to apply stains and preservatives annually to keep your pergola looking at its best.

Garden Pergola Design Tips

If you are creating a new garden with immature plants and you plan to have a pergola covered in plants you must remember that it takes time for even the fastest growing plants to climb to great heights. If you want to create an instant effect consider using an annual plant, such as sweat pea, which will grow to cover the pergola in a single season but will need to be replaced each year.

Another great tip for quickly covering a pergola in plants is to incorporate pots or hanging baskets into your garden pergola design. Simply plant out the baskets and pots with plants which trail freely. Again annuals are best for this which means work each year and you must also consider the extra work involved in keeping the pots and baskets watered. Another advantage to this method is that you can change the color scheme of your pergola each year if you desire, which is almost impossible when using climbers.

 

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