Have you decided to install a pergola this season but are unsure how to create a design that will WOW the neighborhood? Pergolas provide homeowners with a vast number of benefits, with the largest being an added outdoor living space that is functional, beautiful, and enhances curb appeal. With our garden landscaping with pergolas top tips, you will be able to create a delightful space that you and your family, friends, and neighbors can enjoy for years to come.
Garden Landscaping with Pergolas Tips
#1: Chose a Design that Complements the Existing Aesthetic
When designing garden landscaping with a pergola, the first step is to consider the home’s and property’s existing aesthetic. You don’t want your new design to stick out but to compliment your current design to enhance your overall property. To do this, you must consider style and materials.
Pergolas come in a variety of styles. As a homeowner, you will first have to choose between a freestanding pergola or an attached one, which means deciding whether you want it attached to your home or as an individual structure. Then, it would be best if you considered your roofing, beam, and pillar style – all of which you want to complement the elements of your home.
For materials, pergolas come in various woods, metals, and vinyl. At Patio Covers Unlimited NW, we highly recommend our high-grade aluminum pergolas as they are durable and come embossed with a wood grain texture that won’t crack, warp, split, chip, or peel like natural wood would.
Overall, we suggest taking your time to choose a structure with materials that mesh well with your home design. For example, a sleek black aluminum pergola would likely be an excellent addition if you have a modern home!
#2: Strategically Place Your Pergola
Next, you will need to choose where to place your pergola. If you have decided to go with the attached option, you will need to determine the best location next to your home for it to be. We recommend placing it by the backdoor so you can enter the outdoor space without having to traverse through the elements.
If you have chosen a freestanding pergola, you have far more options for location. You will need to consider the size of space you have available, the amount of shade you desire, the direction of the sun, and any other elements specific to your home – such as where your neighbors can’t see you!
For a detailed overview, we suggest reading our in-depth blog on pergola placement possibilities!
#3: Make Your Pergola a Garden Focal Point
Now comes the fun part: garden landscaping with pergolas to make it the focal point of your backyard design!
Our first recommendation is to make your pergola the focal point by building a pathway. If your pergola is a free-standing structure, a charming path will lead the eye and the feet right to it. We suggest stepping stones, winding flower-lined paths, or a brick walkway for a fanciful touch. Alternatively, you can keep it easy with poured cement pathing!
Next, lighting! Adding lighting to your pergola makes it the focal point of your design as soon as it gets dark while adding a layer of functionality to continue the party outside during the evening. We suggest setting up string lights on the cross beams to create a well-lit but relaxing atmosphere. Keep in mind, depending on your pergola design, lighting can typically be wired directly into the ceiling upon installation or as an afterward add-on element.
On top of that, we suggest adding a unique element to your pergola that enhances the space even more and meets the functional needs of your property. Maybe that’s a custom-built deck, a pergola swing, a mini firepit, or anything else that suits your fancy. Adding this extra element truly makes the space yours and emphasizes your distinctive style!
Of course, in addition to these garden landscaping with pergolas techniques, you can’t forget the garden aspect! Let’s dive into that idea next!
#4: Select Plants that will Highlight Your Pergola
One of the most enticing aspects of having a pergola is to get to be surrounded by natural beauty while you enjoy the outdoors. Our favorite recommendation for homeowners to highlight their pergola is to create a whimsical design with trellises.
Adding trellises to the columns of your pergola allows you to utilize climbing plants, which you may also know as clingers, tendril-climbers, or twiners. Essentially, these vine plants will grow up and over the pergola over time, providing not only beauty but shade. Whether you want the classic wisteria, bright trumpet vines, or a delicious grapevine, there are many options for climbing plants.
In addition to climbing plants, you can also plant around the pergola. We have seen homeowners do just about everything, from planting large bushes or trees to add privacy to designing low-maintenance succulent gardens to building planter boxes all the way around the pergola for their vegetable gardens. The opportunities and possibilities are endless!
Of course, the gardening doesn’t stop at the entrance of the pergola. You can easily bring potted plants into the pergola to create a total immersion in nature. We’ve even seen one homeowner set up a potted cherry tomato plant right by her lounger chair so that she could snack on the homegrown tomatoes while reading her book! Genius!
#5: Keep Your Pergola Maintained
No matter how you decide to design and highlight your pergola, it is vital to perform regular maintenance to ensure its longevity. The maintenance requirements will heavily depend on the type of materials you use and your specific environmental conditions. For example, if you went with a traditional wood pergola, you would need annual cleaning, sanding, sealing, and repainting to keep it looking pristine. However, if you choose to go with an aluminum pergola, it pretty much just needs a bi-annual bath and quick inspection to ensure all the components are performing justly.
Make Your Backyard a Dream Landscape with Patio Covers Unlimited NW
Transform your garden into a stunning, functional retreat with a beautifully integrated pergola. Contact Patio Covers Unlimited NW today to explore design options and get started on your outdoor project!
