Add instant elegance with a pergola. There’s a style to suit every garden, whether you want shelter, growing space or a sophisticated focal point
There is something undeniably sophisticated about a pergola. Many admire the Harold Peto-designed example in the gardens at West Dean that’s arguably one of the classiest in the country: 100 metres long, with a stone gazebo at one end, a waterlily pond at the other, and intricate details along the way, such as a beautifully laid mosaic floor and perfectly trained stems of rambling roses and wisteria crisscrossing and spiralling around its supporting pillars.
A pergola of that size and stature may not be on your shopping list, but the beauty of a pergola is that it can be scaled to fit the size available and be just as impactful. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a pergola as ‘An arbour; a covered walk or shelter, especially one formed of growing plants over a framework’, but that does pergolas a disservice for they’re much more useful and versatile than the definition implies. They can be used to make pathways more dramatic and more of a draw, or to create a clear division between different parts of the garden – picture the wisteria-clad pergola that separates Gravetye Manor’s formal garden from the orchard. A pergola can frame and shelter a seating area or form a garden’s focal point, like the one that helps make the Sundial Garden at Wollerton Old Hall so photogenic, for example. And, once installed, a pergola will offer plentiful new planting opportunities, practically clamouring for climbers to wend their way up the supports.
A series of joined arches can achieve many of the same effects, although it could be argued that they form more of a ‘tunnel’ than a pergola. Semantics aside, there’s something irresistible about these leafy passageways, so assess your garden for its pergola possibilities and consider adding one this spring.
PERGOLA PRACTICALITIES
The recommended height for pergolas is around 2.7m from the ground, to give plenty of room to stand beneath them, taking into account dangling plants and lighting. Pergolas can be bought off-the-peg from many suppliers, the usual choice of materials being between timber and metal. Other suppliers will design and create bespoke pergolas for you, as can a good hard landscaper, and handy D
