Garden Pergola

Garden Pergolas

Pergolas have been around for thousands of years and their earliest use resembled a small archway rather than the large pergolas many people have today. Originally, they were used as supports for climbing plants and flowers which, when the plants and flowers were fully grown and covering the arch, could give people a shaded and protective area to sit under. Pergolas are still used in this manner, particularly in gardens where they are sometimes referred to as a garden arbor. They can be small like the original archways, an archway incorporated into a larger pergola structure, or made without an archway and simply be a large pergola in a variety of styles.

The general structure of a pergola is four posts connected on top by a latticed roof, with or without walls of the same. The overall dimensions can vary as can the shape. Small garden pergolas that are used solely for decoration are commonly the rounded arch design with latticed walls that allow flowering vines to cling to them. Larger pergolas can be square, rectangular, tunneled, peaked, curved, just about any shape you want. The common denominator of all pergola designs is that the roof will have the characteristic crisscross or slatted pattern which not only provides shelter and support for plants and other ornamentation but creates pretty and unique patterns of light as the sun shines through the roof.

Garden pergolas are some of the most beautiful pergola styles because of their routine use as support for climbing flowers. Using a small pergola as an entryway will naturally invite guests to enter and appreciate your garden. A pergola placed in the midst of a garden can offer a pretty and shaded area for people to sit and enjoy the garden’s tranquility. A larger garden pergola can be placed next to your house and not only act as a place for flowers and plants to grow but potted plants can be hung from the pergola’s roof slats or placed on the ground.

Common materials used in making pergolas are wood, vinyl, metal, and fiberglass with the most popular choice for garden pergolas being wood. Wood is a natural building material that can age organically over time, just like a garden can. Certain woods such as cedar, teak, or redwood are naturally resistant to damage from insects and moisture and can be made into a garden pergola as is or can be stained or painted when the pergola is complete. Some people prefer the other materials for their longevity, price, or ability to more easily match to the existing buildings on the property. Since not all garden pergolas will have plants growing on them, the details of the pergola itself can be a major factor in choosing which material to build with.

Although garden pergolas are typically sited in a garden, they can also be situated outside a garden or designed in a way that the pergola becomes a garden area itself. For example, some folks have a patio or porch overlooking their garden and a pergola placed over them could be called a garden pergola. A pergola that stands alone in the backyard and has oodles of flowers and plants growing on and around it could be considered a garden pergola even though the pergola is not actually in a garden. Semantics aside, garden pergolas naturally invoke feelings of peace, tranquility, and beauty just like gardens do.

Garden pergolas are generally sold as kits that the homeowner can self-install which is not a difficult task for smaller garden pergolas. Alternatively, a professional installer can be hired either from the pergola manufacturer or from an outside source. There are countless numbers of styles and types of garden pergolas and you should have no trouble finding a company who can customize your pergola for you or can offer you one of their many pre-made designs. A garden pergola will add value and beauty to your home and will make your garden even more pleasurable to spend time in.

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