10 Ways To Feature A Garden Arch
Traditional arch loving plants include roses, jasmine, clematis, honeysuckle or wisteria, but you could also try annuals, sweet peas or more exotic species such as passion flower. Edibles grown on an arch can be both beautiful and delicious - squashes, cucumbers, beans, trained fruit trees or maybe a hop or grape vine will all do well with the extra light and growing on an arch makes for easy harvesting.These are a few of our favourite ways to use an arch at home:
1. Showcase Climbing Plants
Opt for a design fitted with lattice to help new climbers establish and to offer you anchor points to tie in growth as the plant established – In the summer the planting will be the focus so aim for specific successional flowers to give a changing look throughout the season. Once the growing season is over you can cut back the planting and the arch becomes a feature in its own right – adding delicate lighting will give a magical feel to the garden on winter evenings.
2. Mark An Entrance
Draw attention to the entrance of your home with an arch. – use large containers at the base of the arch if you can’t place directly into the soil. Plant clematis and climbing roses on either side for a traditional ‘roses over the door look’ or go for something scented such as jasmine or honeysuckle for a waft delicious fragrance every time you open the door.
3. Create A Walkway
Use multiple arches or pergolas in a row to create a defined walkway – traditionally wisteria or laburnum are used to create a spectacular cascade of flowers, but even without planting the structure can help to enclose the route.
4. Add Impact To A Gateway
Much like when marking a pathway, an arch over a gate adds impact and literally ‘makes an entrance’ – this can work particularly well to add formality or to echo the architectural style of your house – A monet arch will create a real period feel.
5. Define Sections Of The Garden
Place an arch between two different areas of a garden. This can mark a change in style of garden design or just heighten anticipation of exploring more of the space – perhaps leading to a woodland area or otherwise marking the start of a Kitchen Garden. An arch at the entrance to a utility area of the garden can also be a good disguise, suggesting something more lies beyond rather than just a compost heap and a mower shed.
6. Turn an Arch into an Arbour
The romantically named arbour is essentially a seating area enveloped by an arch creating a secret or secluded place to sit and rest. Place a wide arch over an existing bench or any other garden seating - planted with evergreen climbers such as Trachelospermum jasminoides it becomes a gorgeous nook in which to relax with a book…or a seed catalogue!
7. Frame A Beautiful View
Use an arch to frame a distinctive view, focusing the eye into the distance , creating a sense of a larger garden as well as drawing attention to a stunning scene. You could borrow a view from a neighbour or bordering property with an arch - The lake or rolling hillside may not be yours, but it will feel like part of your garden when it's framed - A simple arch with greenery rather than brightly coloured flowers lets the view take centre stage.
8. Add Interest To A Pathway
Add an arch midway down a path to add interest to the journey and allows you to break up the line with colour and scent as you and your guests walk through the garden – a lavender lined path with a rose cover arch across it would be glorious in any setting.
9. Highlight A Focal Point
An arch can draw the eye to a piece of garden artwork, a specimen plant or a water feature. You also can use them to add interest to a blank wall such as on a garage - Paint the wall inside the arches a colour that contrasts the rest of the wall and plant them with climbers for a simple trompe l’oeil effect.
10. Support Fruit and Vegetables
Ring the changes and use your garden arch to work as a support for growing fruits and vegetables. It gives your plot a whole new growing dimension, lots more space and lifting crops clear the ground and improves air circulation- Slugs and snails will be deterred as well! Grape vines are natural for an arch and Cucumbers, peas, beans and squashed will all use tendrils to attach themselves securely to the structure.
Our Traditional Arches
Our Traditional Arches are a classic style that looks great in any setting - and have been part of the Agriframes range for 50 years. Made of tough tubular steel, galvanised both inside and out for strength and rust prevention, the UV stabilised polymer-coating and matt black textured finish is both durable and attractive.
Tube diameters are matched to each arch size to combine superb structural quality with perfectly proportioned design and optional lattice can be added as a support for climbing plants.
As with all of our fully forged structures they include slim line, welded joints offering a neat design, great strength and are built to last with the assurance of a 10 Year Structural Guarantee so you'll be enjoying your arch for many years to come.
Our Elegance Arches
Elegance is our solid steel wirework collection which is perfect for roses, clematis and soft stemmed climbers. The steel is galvanised, then finished with a UV tested polymer coating for durability in Sage Green - one of our palette of soft signature colours which is the perfect for cottage or kitchen garden.
The Elegance arches come in 2 parts for simple installation - so you can achieve a garden transformation within a couple of hours. Wherever you choose to use an arch it is a quick and effective way to create year long interest to any part of your garden.
