Garden Structures – arbour sitting

Arbours are shaded areas in gardens – they are increasingly becoming common in the UK, as our summer temperatures heat up and we become more aware of the risks of sun, particularly to the skin of children, and arbours tend to be created to frame and provide comfort around one of the following household features:

 

• Seating or cooking areas
• Entrances to or exits from the garden
• Doors or windows on homes or other garden

Because they allow climbing plants or flowers to intertwine around the structure they provide a visual bridge between soft and hard landscaping.

Materials

The range of different materials and options that you can choose from for an arbour can be bewildering, but it’s easy to get what’s right for you, and your garden, if you bear the following in mind:

Wood - as with decks, solid wood arbours have their benefits and disadvantages. Wooden arbours are generally less expensive than their synthetic counterparts, and they are often lightweight and easily moved. However, you will need to keep them protected from the elements as much as possible by using regular wood treatment – which disturbs the plants you might be growing up them - unless you choose a high durability wood such as cedar or redwood, both of which are heavy and expensive! Wooden arbours go well in contemporary, natural or formal garden styles, depending on the wood and shape chosen.

Synthetic or composite materials - these will be longer-lasting than wood, because they are resistant to weather, but they will also be more expensive. Arbours made of these materials go well in cottage or traditional garden styles but don’t generally harmonise with modern gardens as they tend to have period detailing.

Metal – the best metal arbours are made from weather-resistant powder-coated steel will last for years without any maintenance.

Natural material - arbours made of tree limbs and similar materials can look fantastic, but this style is best suited to a cottage, natural or rustic style garden. An arbour made of growing plants is wonderful in these circumstances.

Garden arbour natural photograph by Sassy Gardener, used under a creative commons attribution licence.

 

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