Occasionally, it has been said that all gardens should feature an archway. Nonetheless, while this might not always be the case, it is true that a garden arch can play a major part in lots of designs. Garden arches are available in many different sizes, shapes, materials and designs. As a result, they can be put to many different uses in a garden.
Garden Designs Featuring Garden Arches
Possibly, the most popular way to use an arch in a garden is to have it serve as the entrance. This could be the entrance to the main garden, or an arch could be employed as an entrance between different parts of a garden. Having an arch serve as a doorway between different outside spaces creates an atmosphere of progressive discovery. It makes people in the garden feel as if they are going on a journey. Similarly, arches can be a source of fascination for garden visitors. They are eye catching and draw people towards them. They make people want to find out what lies beyond them.
A garden arch offers a vertical element to the design of a garden. It can provide a point of contrast, if the majority of the design is on a horizontal plane. Moreover, it provides immediate height to a garden. Ultimately, while planting can offer height, unless mature plants (which are more expensive) are used in a new garden, you will have to wait a long time before your plants can offer the same height that a garden arch can offer.
When positioned correctly, garden arches are able to frame different views within a garden. For instance, they can frame a focal point, like a water feature or statue. Likewise, these arches can be employed to frame distant vistas or views.
What to Consider Before Incorporating an Arch Into Your Garden
Undoubtedly, these arches are a very useful, practical and aesthetically pleasing addition to a garden. Even better, they are among the simplest garden features to set up. Nonetheless, while they might be simple to erect, you should still give some thought as to the style, size and type of arch you want to use. If you choose the wrong garden arch and place it in the wrong position, it will adversely affect the balance of the entire garden design. Here are the primary design considerations:
Size and Scale
The size and scale of your arch should fit with the style of the garden and its’ surroundings. For instance, a large, highly decorative, gold plated arch would look completely inappropriate in a small suburban back garden. Similarly, in the huge grounds of a stately mansion, a narrow wooden garden arch would appear insignificant and lost.
Material and Design Coordination
The material and style of the arch has to blend in well with the look of the garden. Hence, if you want to design and build a garden for a cottage, a very modern metal garden arch would look ludicrous. Likewise, if you are constructing a minimalist, modern garden, you will not desire an old fashioned wooden archway.
Stability and Strength
Along with design considerations, you should think about what purpose the arch will serve , especially if you plan to use it to support climbing plants. Assuming you do have this intention, the arch has to be robust and stable enough to cope with the plants’ weight. Obviously, this will depend on the plants you are growing, but large plants that grow a lot can be very heavy, and place substantial pressure on the arch beneath. Make sure you leave room for an arch when you plan your next garden.
