Pick The Right Spot For Your Pergola

Pergolas have been in use for centuries, serving both decorative and practical purposes. One of the earliest uses of these simple structures was in agriculture, to provide a frame on which grapevines and other edible plants could be draped and realize their full growth potential.

When it comes to improving the look of a house's exterior, a pergola can be placed in a number of different spots to create a variety of effects. The following are some examples:

Entryway

A pergola placed here can provide overhang to give shade, and be an architectural feature welcoming visitors into the home. These are simple structures comprised of two post supports with the back pergola roof attached to the exterior wall above the building entry. They can be embellished by the addition of trellised vine plants to enhance your doorway.

Accent Gateway

An accent gateway pergola can have either a square or arched top. This will draw attention to a side or back entry to a house, or create an archway into the garden.

Garden Pergolas

A garden pergola provides a perfect trellis structure from which to trail vine plants in your garden. It is also ideal for hanging plants and can be placed in an existing greenhouse or used as a freestanding structure. You can fix an area of lattice work to the side of a pergola for an ideal spot to let clinging vines grow and climb.

Patio Cover

In similar vein to an entryway pergola, this is the same type of construction, and can enhance your enjoyment of your patio by offering an area of shade in which to sit.

Deck Pergolas

Adding a pergola to decking in the backyard is a beautiful yet simple enhancement which also makes for a manageable do-it-yourself project. Deck pergolas can add shade to an otherwise exposed area with little heavy-duty construction work involved. If you stand a picnic table on the deck, there will be no need for an umbrella, as the pergola will provide the necessary shading, and can be built in material to match your decking.

Shading for the Tub

A pergola, either attached to a fixed structure or freestanding, makes an ideal shelter, providing shade and privacy for an outdoor hot tub. Although a pergola usually has a slatted beamed roof, this can be given the look of a canopy and provide full shelter if desired. A pergola with a front swinging gate will also conceal your hot tub when desired.