WOOD STRUCTURES

Why add wood structures?

The structure of a garden is not defined only by its annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees. The architecture and the various built elements designed in or around a garden often provide the strongest elements of the space. While serving as a backdrop, these elements also define the garden and the space itself. Wood structures in the garden vary widely and are often some of the easiest and most fun elements to include in your garden or garden design!

Arbors

Arbors form a gate and an arch for your climbing plants to cross a path or mark an entrance or exit to a garden. Traditional rounded arbors take quite a bit of skill to create in wood, but straight-topped arbors are a bit simpler. Some nice designs incorporate benches between the two sides in their design. Basic arbors have only two posts, while wider designs have four posts with sides and trellis work between them. Arbors are great for setting off “rooms” in a garden and for hanging gates to integrate with fences. Arbors are great for creating a heavenly corridor of flowers and scents to walk through when your climber is in blossom!

Pergolas

Pergolas usually have four posts and are large enough to create sitting spaces for a few people underneath them. A variety of pergola designs exist. Designs range from curved faces and arches to multiple stacked layers of wood slats and/or trellis work. All pergola designs are open format so that some light filters through. Depending on what is planted on them, they can become a single mass of vines that creates full shade.

There are now systems available to install on or under pergolas to protect you and your outdoor furniture from rain and sun with outdoor fabrics. The systems are relatively expensive but do give more functionality to the space as a true shelter. Adding a pergola to your garden is usually done on a patio space and is a significant investment. Kits or pre-built sets are usually in the thousand dollars plus range. Custom-designed installed pergolas often cost several thousand dollars, if not more, for elaborate designs. A pergola will set off a whole area of a garden and make it both inviting and cozier as a space to socialize or relax. The sky is the limit for pergola designs so contact a salesperson at Earthworks Landscaping today!