4 BENEFITS OF A PERGOLA IN YOUR FORMAL GARDEN

To really enjoy your formal garden, you have to be able to spend time in it and have great views. As you contemplate what type of lounge area would work to help you get the most out of all your hard work, here are four great reasons to consider a pergola in any formal garden style.

1. IT'S AN ATTRACTIVE CENTERPIECE

A formal garden style makes it even more important that the hardscape and entertainment elements look like they belong there. The classical square structure and wood beams of a pergola fit right in with a more formal landscape style — more so than many less structured outdoor lounge areas. You can also customize elements of a pergola to fit your garden theme. Have an Asian-styled garden? Add a curved roof line to complement the garden. Want a classic Italian garden? Try replacing wood supports with Roman stone columns instead. Because they consist of a complete structure with columns and a roof, pergolas serve as an excellent centerpiece, giving a garden some architecture. A formal garden is best when it has some taller, more solid structural elements like hedges, trees, and hardscape to add interest. A large lot, in particular, needs something to stand out and give viewers' eyes a place to land.

2. YOU CONTROL THE ANGLES

Pergolas are diverse constructions. While they look very similar from a distance, you actually have a lot of options. First, they can be angled any direction you wish because a pergola is a free standing structure. This way, you can take advantage of the best views, tie the construction into the home itself, or complement the geometry of the garden's own angles. In addition to placement, the open construction allows you to control the shading and sunlight. Assess your usage of the pergola and the sun's angles over the hours. Beams above can be angled to provide the most shade during particular parts of the day or year. Then, make the wood beams and columns larger to provide more cover or slim them down for less shade and more warmth.

3. YOU CAN MAKE IT ADJUSTABLE

Even with this ability to decide how the structure of the pergola will work with your space, you can still do more to make it adjustable. Because it provides a frame without solid sides or permanent cover, you have many choices as to how you use it. Want even more shade some of the time but not all of it? Weave in a linen or gauze shade fabric over and under the roof beams for a light and airy shade. Hang curtains — heavy ones in winter or light materials in summer — from the sides to provide adjustable protection from the sun, from wind, and from rain. Hang a ceiling fan for a light breeze or install hanging heaters to keep it warmer at night. Or use a mobile decorative screen to give users protection from the elements at any angle.

4. GREENERY GOES PERFECTLY WITH IT

To blend in a pergola with the garden around it, add touches of greenery. Grow vines up the columns and through the pergola roof to make natural shade — pruned either to provide more or less cover from the sun — and introduce some colorful blooms. Pair a square or rectangle pergola frame with box hedges, topiary shrubs or trees, or a row of large potted containers. Do you think that a pergola might be the answer to what your beautiful property needs? At Superior Outdoor Designs, we work with pergolas of all shapes and sizes. We can help you find the right one to enhance any landscape and provide you with years of enjoyment in your formal garden. Call today to learn more.