subject: A Simple yet Striking Garden Landscaping Structure [print this page] A pergola is a kind of gazebo consisting of an open structure made up of main posts or pillars joint at the top with cross beams & joists so as to offer a hold for climbing vines, providing shade & coolness. It can be built free standing on the lawn or attached to the house, over a patio, a deck or walkways or as a link between pavilions.
Pergola is an Italian term coming from the Latin Pergula, meaning projecting eave.
Originally the preserve of rich individuals who liked to have a cascade of cooling foliage & grapes growing in their gardens, today an outdoor pergola is becoming an ever increasing popular piece or garden landscaping structure that adds coziness to the whole scenario & offers a focus for social & relatives life, & a valuable asset for any property. A comparatively simple structure to build, a pergola can have a dramatic visual impact in a garden or over a patio, transforming the look & feel of a house & increasing its value.
Technically, a pergola consists of a set of main posts joined at the top by main beams on which the joists or rails are assembled. The most common shape for a pergola is square or rectangular, but circular or triangular shapes are also used, depending on the intended location. The structure itself is beautiful , but it is not complete without hanging flower baskets or climbing vines like Bougainvillea, Morning Glory, English Ivy or plenty of others.
Pergolas can be built in artificial materials like aluminium or vinyl, or more historicallyin the past wood. Wood is by far the most appealing of materials, as it naturally blends in with the vegetation, adding a touch of warmth & coziness that maintenance free materials do not have. Only top hard woods such as Cedar, Western Red Cedar & red woods in general are recommended for this type of outdoor structure, as they offer unparalleled toughness & resistance to UVA, rain, decay, fungi & wood boring insects.
Their natural beauty & durability can be even increased with the application of a resin based stain, often outliving their builder to the next generations. Pergolas, while more available today than before, are still an pricey piece of garden structure to buy though. Prepared made kits can cost several $thousands &, though worth every cent, they may turn off someone without deep pockets.
Being simple structures to design & build, the idea of doing one yourself is not a far fetched one. Designs do exist to provide measures, shapes & a blueprint for a successful do-it-yourself project. Over all, a self made pergola can be built in a long week finish with the help of a mate & few tools. The one & only sensible check before embarking in this project is to make sure that there is not underground electric cables or gas & water mains in the intended location. Before you dig up for the pergola post foundations, call your local council for an all clear.
Pergolas can be built in a few styles to fit your property, from rugged & rustic to minimalist & modern, but in the event you plan to build one yourself & do not have carpentry experience, do select a simple square or rectangular design. It will greatly enhance your property anyway, providing you with an ideal stepping stone for a woodworking career. They can be also complemented with partition & trellises to provide additional privacy, while a set of chairs or sofas, a table or a hammock are must have accessories for their full usability.
In the hot summer days, an outdoor pergola can increase the appeal of a house, inviting relatives & friends to socialize al fresco & helping sooth the stress of modern living.
A Simple yet Striking Garden Landscaping Structure
