Terrace Garden Gazebo Design

When you add a gazebo, an arbor, or a pergola to your garden, not only do you add to the quality of your home life, but you also enhance the resale value of your house. The similarity with all these structures is that they give your otherwise flat landscape an attractive vertical focal point which becomes the theme of your garden or yard. With the help of plans prepared by experts, you can build one of these yourself, thus cutting down your expenses greatly.

By adding a gazebo, arbor or pergola to your back garden by making use of good plans, you are, in effect, creating an outdoor living space. Instead of remaining shut up inside whenever you are at home, breathing in the musty air, with the four walls of your room for company, you can get some fresh air, read a book and enjoy the sunset by creating one of these outdoor living spaces. You can even have a good time there with your family and friends. Let us now examine each of these structures.

Gazebo

A gazebo in your garden is a comfortable way to spend summer afternoons with your family and friends. You can do outdoor dining, have barbecues, and do reading in your outdoor garden gazebo. They also sometimes form the backdrop for wedding ceremonies.

There are many variations to how a gazebo can be built. However usually, they are domed and enclosed or semi enclosed with trellis. A trellis refers to a latticework of wood, plastic or metal on which vines can be grown and provides complete or partial shade. You can equip your gazebo with built in benches or other outdoor furniture.

You can choose the size of your gazebo according to your needs. Thus you may go in for one which can accommodate two people, or a large one in which a whole family can spend a hot summer night.

Arbor

An arbor creates an entrance, or when arranged in a series, highlights a pathway to a garden. They are also called garden arches. Arbors can be either decorative or functional.

An arbor can be created in many sizes, shapes and uses. It can form an entry to your garden, or as a place to relax or read a book. You can also grow grapes, or other vine crops.

You can build an arbor yourself with the help of good plans. All that is required are a few basic carpentry and gardening skills and a few simple tools. It can be an enjoyable weekend project, and you can invite your family or friends to join you in the work of building the arbor.

Pergola

A pergola is a shaded outdoor space and consists of a passageway of columns which support a roof. Climbing plants are sometimes trained to grow on this. It was originally designed to provide a shaded walk way from one place to another, or as a shade on a terrace. A pergola is flat on the top, with trellis on the top for vines to grow, and with or without trellis on the sides.

A pergola is usually of three types. They are attached, free standing beside a structure, and free standing.

A pergola is very close in design to a gazebo, but is much cheaper, quicker and easier to build. An arbor can also be loosely described as a mini pergola.

You can choose to build one of these structures in your garden according to your needs and requirements, with the help of plans. You will not only have a place where you can spend many pleasant hours, but also have the satisfaction of having built it yourself at greatly reduced expenses.

The garden planning process starts with an analysis of the existing situation. You have to be aware, what are the values and what are the disadvantages of your garden. At first estimate the good views in the garden - to a natural territory, to a hill or a lake - mark on a plan all views, that you consider valuable. Mark also important views - from the garden terrace, from the living room in the house or any other place, which is used often. Estimate also bad views, which should be screened in the garden rearrangement process.