Gazebos and Garden Design

From the budding gardener to the more experienced backyard horticulturist, everyone involved in gardening seems to be looking at ways to enhance their overall gardening experience. Once you are through with your work in the garden for the day, wouldn’t it be nice to sit amidst the flowers and have a cup of tea? In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards building backyard structures that are both useful and attractive. The days of utilitarian garden sheds that serve no purpose other than to store your gardening equipment have come to pass.

One of my favorite backyard structures has to be the classic gazebo. The classic gazebo is octagonal in shape and has a high, peaked roof. They come in various heights and diameters, but they are generally designed to accommodate a small group of people. To me, they evoke a sort of southern charm. They remind me of the bandstands that jazz bands used to play in when I was a young girl in the South. Now, they have become landmarks in the backyards of people nationwide.

I spend a lot of time in my garden in the summer months. This past summer my husband and I decide to build a gazebo, so we would have a nice place to sit and have a drink on a sunny summer afternoon. We wanted something that would shelter us from the hot summer sun, but we did not want to be enclosed in any way. We searched around on the internet and found a design that we were both very pleased with. It took us almost a week to complete the project, but it was certainly worth it.

We spent countless summer nights entertaining family and friends in our new gazebo. We placed it in the midst of our massive garden, and we built a wonderful stone path leading through the garden to it. It is almost otherworldly to be back there, enveloped in the various scents and sensations. I never thought that such a simple backyard improvement project would bring so much joy to our lives. Would you like to join us for tea sometime?

A Look at Garden Gazebos

A garden gazebo is the perfect way to accent your garden. Imagine being able to walk along the path between the koi pond and the flowers, the hedges and the willow tree, pausing to rest on a bench inside a gazebo. Its shade will comfort you, and its architecture will add that special geometric touch to your garden, striking the balance between nature and humanity. No matter what the environment of your garden, there is a garden gazebo out there just waiting to be bought.

In creating a garden gazebo, first choose your material from wood, metal, or vinyl options. Wood is the most common choice, and for good reason: it goes with any natural environment. Wood is available in pine, cedar, and redwood. Pine is the softest wood, ages to a rich yellow, and complements surrounding evergreens. Cedar is higher in overall sturdiness, is less prone to rot, and ages to a gray-brown. American redwood is the darkest, longest-lasting wood. Other woods can be used, but those are the most common.

Metal gazebos come in cast aluminum or steel and wrought iron. Go with steel and wrought iron if you want your garden gazebo to add a lovely dark and long lasting effect. These gazebos are often open-roofed, and so are great for stocking with plants, climbers, and other materials, making for a lush shade that changes with the seasons. Vinyl comes in white or black. Just as with wood and metal gazebos, they come in a variety of shapes and styles. Get trellis walls for a cottage feeling.

For enhanced usability in harsher weather conditions, get an enclosed garden gazebo. These can be partially enclosed, with partitions and movable screens, or totally enclosed, with solid walls and tinted windows.

Whether looking to expand a large corporate garden, or just to complement a small neighborhood plot, a garden gazebo is an inviting structure for rest, meditation, or meeting up with other people to enjoy the weather.