Arbor Awesomeness

Flowers are pretty, but most of them grow on the ground. This means that there is not a lot of excitement happening at eye level. Sure you can grow trees or bushes to add height to your garden, but this means more plants to take care of,  and trees can sometimes grow roots in unwanted places. Another beautiful option to add vertical visual appeal to a garden is the addition of an arbor.

What is an arbor? An arbor can serve many functions. It is often made of latticework, which allows plants to grow on them. They also often have a roof like component, which through wood, plants, or other means can create a shady spot in your garden. They also normally have a bench or other sitting arrangements incorporated into the design, giving you a wonderful place to enjoy the sights in your garden. Arbors are also associated with trees–a natural shady recess formed by the leafy tree branches or the shrubs themselves.

Man-made arbors make great garden entrances, or markers for the start of a path. They can also be wonderful rewards at the end of a path surrounded by climbing roses or other flowering climbing vines.  Arbors are often focal points for outdoor weddings, serving as the substitute chapel. Arbors can also be used to create tunnels of flowers and plants, which would make a romantic place to take a walk while smelling the concentrated scents of the flowers. Another cool use of an arbor would be to place birdhouses or bird feeders to the top to attract more feathered friends to your yard. You can also connect an arbor to your house, deck, or patio as a focal point.

You can make a simple arbor yourself, but to make more complex and elegant structures, it’s a good idea to have a professional install it. Arbors can be made out of painted wood, wrought iron, other pre-cast metals, or vinyl.  Arbors can come in all styles, like country, classical, Asian, and rustic,  and work in small or large garden spaces. Maybe an arbor will be this year’s garden project!