Why You Need an Entrance Arbor in Your Garden Today
My wife is great at making our front door to the house look inviting by adding flowers, wreaths, or changing the paint color. I’ve tended to shrug it off as just something she likes to do, but have realized how amazing it looks when it becomes the first thing you see entering our home.
Our home is a special place for us, like our gardens, so having that initial impression creates a warm feeling. As I’ve toured other gardens, those that had a front entrance helped create a distinctive personalized feel.
Why should I have a garden arbor entrance for my garden? Adding an arbor adds financial value to a property and helps provide an accent piece that can solidify your garden space. Arbors improve visual appeal for people to enjoy with their backyard gardens while adding a sense of peace and serenity.
What is an Arbor?
The first thing that comes to mind when mentioning an Arbor is usually an arch or a trellis. Actually, an arbor is typically a combination of the two. An Arbor is an upright structure that is used as an entryway for gardens or outdoor spaces, while also providing visual appeal. It can also have a latching door or small seats to relax under. They form a bridge arch or squared arch with trellis sides.
Difference Between an Arbor and Pergola
An arbor also tends to get confused with a pergola. The difference between a pergola and an arbor is typically the size and roof structure. A pergola is generally used as a shade structure for a patio or concrete slab area.
The pergola tends to have a more roof like grid pattern designed for shade or providing more of a cover. An arbor is going to be more of an accent piece or quiet spot for an individual versus an entertaining space.
Selecting the Right Arbor
Arbors come in various different sizes, styles, and materials. A lot of it depends on your personal style, but there are some things to consider such as if you want a latching gate or something that can accommodate for a seat or how various types of materials hold up. Let’s take a closer look at some of the various options.
Metal
Arbors made out of metal are generally rust proofed and going to be long-lasting. It will hold up well in various weather conditions, making this option low maintenance. They can have some weight to them. Metal arbors have a simple and clean look that some people appreciate.
The design tends to be more “airy” which can be better for showcasing your plants. I personally prefer something that’s a bit more elegant.
Plow & Hearth Metal Garden Arbor with Tree of Life Design
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Wood
A wood arbor just has that natural rustic look that goes great with the garden. You can paint it to utilize different color schemes. There can be more work maintaining wood, as it can deteriorate with various weather conditions over time.
Cedar is going to be your best bet or treated pine can hold up really well, especially in drier climates. Wood arbors can be a bit more expensive depending on the quality and how elaborate of a design.
Treated Pine Rose Arbor
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Vinyl
A vinyl arbor is a great option for hot climates, like where I reside in the Arizona desert. They can withstand various weather conditions and are usually white in appearance. They clean up very easily and are maintenance free.
They are lighter weight and easy to put together. Sometimes they can lack that natural appearance that wood or metal can provide, so it’s important to get something of high quality.
Nottingham Arbor w/Gingerbread Scrolls
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Size
A common size for an Arbor is around 6-7 feet. If your family is on the taller size, getting an arbor that’s at least 7ft is going to make it a lot more convenient to walk through.
Shorter arbors make the roof more accessible if you need to prune back vines or doing any work to plants growing along the top. The depth of the arbor is something to consider if you’re looking to add a bench or seated area.
How adding an Arbor Benefits Gardeners
Arbors can increase the value of a garden in many unique ways. Here are some of the benefits that make adding an arbor to your garden something you should do:
Talking Point
Seeing an incredible arbor as you prepare to enter a majestic garden gives that wow factor. If you’re a gardener that likes to show off your garden to other people, it’s going to be something that people are going to talk about.
I thoroughly enjoy having friends or others tour my garden so I can educate them on how to garden in our Arizona desert. Hanging some lights can help create more visual for nighttime entertaining.
Transition Piece
When you enter a garden through an arbor it’s almost like your entering a portal into another world. It triggers your mind to go through a mental shift preparing for what you’re about to walk into. You know that your about to enter a glorious space full of tranquil beauty.
Creates Order
A garden doesn’t necessarily have to be in neat rows or have a clean look, but it is nice to create an order. Having an arbor tends to help with starting a flow to your garden whether it’s having a walkway or just more of a finished look to your garden. Arbors can help highlight certain features to your garden or create more segmented areas.
Adds Property Value
Anytime you add things that look good, it increases the value of your home. Landscaping is the first thing that new buyers see when approaching the home, so adding things that help boost curb appeal is going to help you maximize your profit.
SF Gate’s Homeguide suggested ranges from 5.5 percent to 12.7 percent depending on the type of landscaping and the home’s original value. This can equate to somewhere around an additional $16,500-$38,100 for a $300,000 home.
Just mowing the grass or planting a few roses isn’t the type of landscaping that’s going to add this type of value. Having a manicured design, like an arbor could help create that added value with a well-planned garden design.
Create Color
We all love the color green as gardeners, but it’s nice to create some additional colors. This can be accomplished by adding flowers or unique plants, but adding other accent pieces can add bold color statements. An arbor can be painted to any color you’d like.
Shade
If your major purpose for an Arbor is creating a nice shady space, it’s probably better to go with a pergola or larger structure, but nonetheless, arbor’s can create a shady spot. As vines creep up around the arbor, if you so choose, it creates shade under the arbor.
If your arbor is large enough this can be a nice spot for a small bench or chair to read a book, bird watch or just admire the beauty of your yard. It can also be a nice spot to put some shade loving plants in containers.
Shows your Care
Those that are just casual gardeners or just grow a few vegetables, probably aren’t as invested in their gardening hobby. For some of us, gardening can become a passionate endeavor that leads to continued growth.
What started with a small garden has morphed into a full out obsession with growing everything and creating a magical space. Adding features like an arbor shows how invested you are into creating an awe-inspiring garden.
Utilize to grow vines or edibles
The trellis’ provided by an arbor work great for those vining or climbing plants. It can be a great way to utilize space by growing vertically instead of allowing these types of plants to spread across the ground.
There are many different climbing plants or vines that are perfect for arbors depending on your growing conditions. I focus on mainly growing things that produce things that are edible in hot climates, so grapes or passionfruit are my go to options.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for something that can add both beauty and value to your garden look no further than an arbor. With so many different styles and options, you’re sure to find something that works for you, while also allowing you to grow more of those lovely climbing plants and vines.
Please comment below on anything that you’ve enjoyed from this post or related to garden arbors.