2-min.jpg "Zest Dorset Arbour With Storage Box")
Take a book, newspaper or nothing more than a cool drink, and have time out from the day, put your feet up and enjoy some well-earned rest and recuperation.
These structures are stylish focal points, usually made from timber, and will enhance any garden. With enough room for at least two people, they are ideal sanctuaries in which to take your ease on your own or with a friend.
With an apex or rounded roof, arbours provide protection from the sun and their design offers a light and airy environment with a choice of a panelled, trellis or open back.
An Asian Influence
Different roof styles may lend a gothic, oriental or Asian ambience to the arbour. The Rowlinson Jaipur arbour is reminiscent of the Raj while their Winchester arbour could well have been inspired by that city's cathedral.
Trellis sides can make it easy to train climbing plants. When the sun is high there won't be anything better than being surrounded by the gorgeous colour of roses such as Blue Moon or Masquerade with their scent gently wafting by in the breeze.
Larger arbours are available that can seat a number of people around a built-in table, such as the Forest Venetian corner arbour, while the Forest Sorrento arbour is in the style of a pergola and retains the best elements of both designs.
The latest popular designs of arbours include a storage area under the seat. Our best-selling lines include the Dorset arbour with storage seat or the Cheltenham arbour with storage seat (pictured right) which both have distinct differences in design but will all complement any garden.
Coloured or Natural Finishes
Different coloured finishes add to an arbour's presence, helping it blend into the garden or emphasizing its special qualities. Additionally, if supplied with a natural timber appearance, you can paint the arbour as you so wish.
Arbours are perfect to add structure to your garden and are ideal to sit back in on a sunny day, what's not to like about them? Have a look at our range from all the leading manufacturers now and you can have one in place when the summer arrives.
Scented Plants Around An Arbour
Garden arbours are perfect for chilling out at the end of the day with the sweet smell of adjacent fragrant flowers, and here are four of my favourite plants that will enhance your experience.
Nicotiana sylvestris (Flowering Tobacco) has panicles of 7cm long tubular, white flowers at the end of stems in the late summer, borne in clusters above mid-green foliage. Often grown as an annual, it has a strong night scent that attracts pollinating moths.
Climbing over trellis you can choose honeysuckle such as Lonicera 'Serotina'. Quite vigorous and fully hardy it has attractive dark green foliage and very fragrant 4cm purple flowers during mid-late summer, followed by red berries.
'Kleim's Hardy' gardenia has white flowers that emit an intoxicating scent from June – August. It likes dappled shade and can be left outdoors all year. The glossy green leaves provides an attractive contrast on a compact container shrub with a height and spread of about 3ft.
Also ideal for a container next to an arbour, garden seat or back door is Night Phlox with a profusion of pink buds which reveal delicate scented white flowers. It's commonly known as 'Midnight Candy' for reasons that soon become clear.