A pergola is an architectural structure that has recently become very popular among suburban area owners and landscape designers. However, pergolas are actually more than two thousand years old.
What is a pergola – in simple words
A pergola is a lattice structure designed to support climbing plants. It can look like an open gazebo with a square, rectangular, or semicircular base and a lattice roof. This structure is built above a house or site entrance, in a recreation area, or simply as a visual accent on the lawn.
Pergolas have been used in garden landscaping since the heyday of the Roman Empire. Its initial task is to support the vine. Today, the most common use is decorative. Garden owners appreciate this small architectural form for its grace and lightness. Pergolas are installed in courtyards or along garden paths to provide shade and protection from the sun.
What is a pergola for?
In modern landscape design, a prefab pergola performs one or more functions, depending on the design features:
- Decorative function – the pergola acts as an independent element of the site design.
- Support for loaches and hanging flower pots.
- Canopy over the site entrance or the house – shading is created with the help of climbing plants.
- Arrangement of a resting place—they put sun loungers and chairs in the pergolas, hang a garden swing, or have a fire pit.
- An arch tunnel on a garden path will add uniqueness to the design and cover unattractive areas and buildings.
As you understand, a pergola cannot protect you from rain and snow due to its complete transparency and lightness. But it’s quite possible to create a romantic mood and save you from the midday heat.
Types of pergolas
Pergolas come in various styles: classic, country, modern, oriental, high-tech, Mediterranean.
A prefab pergola can be made of metal, wood, stone, brick, plastic, or several materials. By form and purpose:
- Traditional – rectangular or square pergolas with a flat lattice roof.
- Pointed pergolas have a gable roof.
- Arched pergolas are a canopy in the form of an arch.
- A promenade is a special type of pergola, consisting of a frame structure of several connecting arches forming a long gallery.
- The eastern pergola has a pagoda-shaped roof
What pergolas can you find?
Pergolas are available in different models, but several designs are more in demand among customers. This can be an independent, separate standing pergola on the territory. Or a pergola is attached to the house’s facade and is its continuation. The roof of the prefab pergola can be either fully retractable or consist of slats. In the second case, the slats cannot be completely hidden but can be adjusted to suit your needs. Everyone will be able to choose the best option for themselves.
Pergolas with a sliding roof are structures that can be fully opened or closed by moving the roof. This allows you to control the amount of light and air passing through the pergola, depending on weather conditions.
Slat pergolas have a roof consisting of horizontal slats. They are adjustable to control sunlight flow and ventilation and protect from rain or excessive sunlight.
