Garden Structures – Arch Sitting

Arches can be lovely additions to the landscape by providing a focal point outside your garden or even acting as a charming invitation to enter your territory. In addition, vertical structures like arches add height to small or flat gardens. They can be made of metal, such as wrought iron or aluminium, or wood, or even plastic – or you can create an arch from plants, either by growing them up and together or by using topiary to hollow them out. Of course the cost of each of these options varies, depending on the material and the craftsmanship. Because it can take years to get your chosen plants established so that they to beautify or cover the arch, it is worthwhile to invest in a substantial arch that will last.

Before selecting plants, it is important to consider the location of the arch. Most flowering shrubs and vines need at least six hours of sun each day, so if you want plants that throng with colourful flowers, you’ll want to ensure you locate your arch in a sunny location in your garden – but remember that, because the arch creates shade, picking the best sunbathing spot to set it up can lead to family rebellion as they all head out with their towels and suntan lotion only to find a dense shade in the place that last year they used to top up their tan!

On the other hand, you might want to consider the viewpoint before you decide on the location or planting of your arch. If you have a wonderful focal point in your garden, like a waterfall or beautiful tree, you may want to frame it with the arch – in this case, you want a simple design that doesn’t detract from the view you’re emphasizing. If you want to bring people’s attention to a focal point outside the garden, say a windmill on the hill or another feature of this kind, it’s a good idea to echo the colours of that feature in your arch, so use white paint or white roses to draw the eye to, and beyond, the arch.

Garden arch green photograph by plutor, used under a creative commons attribution licence.

 

© blueworldgardener.co.uk