Basic Pergola and Arbour Construction
Pergolas and arbours can create atmosphere, link
different parts of the garden or provide a shady place to walk or sit. They give
instant height and allow the gardener to grow climbers somewhere other than a wall
or fence.
One of the most important rules of pergola construction is that it should be wider
than it is high (or at the very least, form a square). Another useful rule of thumb
is to space the uprights along the length of the pergola one-quarter more than the
space across the walk. It is also important to allow enough height and width for
plant growth. Therefore uprights need to be far enough from the path so that plants
don’t block the space and it is recommend that a clear height of at least 2.2m (from
floor to underside of beam) is allowed so that anyone strolling in the garden doesn’t
get their hair tangled in the plants!
Arbours are constructed in a similar way to pergolas
but often have sides in-filled with trellis or similar to help enclose the space.
Roof crossbeams can also be closer together in order to provide denser shade for
sitting.
Below are examples of different styles and methods of construction from gardens
around the country. This collection of photos will be added to as new examples are
found. If anyone reading this article has suitable photographs they would be happy
to share with others please email editor@gardendesignunlimited.co.uk for consideration.
© Sharon Brown
18th July 2009