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Arches for small gardens

Hi all, 

I've always wanted an archway, to grow roses or jasmin up. Something to give a bit of height and create a feature.

However, with a small garden I'm not sure if it will look a touch strange?

Can those that have one inspire me with theirs please? Just looking for ideas

Many thanks 
Slowly building a wildlife garden, in a new build in East Yorkshire.

Posts

  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    edited April 2020
    I bought mine from Gap Garden Products. That was many, many years ago but they’re still in good condition and are still on sale from the online shop. Since purchasing them I have painted them green and our garden landscapers added the flat bit at the top to give them extra width.








    These are Arcadia arches

    https://www.gapgardenproducts.com/garden-arches/steel-garden-arches.html


    They’re supposed to have clematis Niobe growing up them but snail damage to the stems meant the plants have never really got going. This year, however, it’s looking good. And that’s sod’s law because last Autumn I planted rose ‘The Pilgrim’ there as well. Maybe soft yellow will combine well with deep plum red but I have reservations. A single Niobe bloom is just visible in the picture.

    The fennel - foeniculum vulgare - in the top picture has now been cut right back with two of the three plants evicted. My goodness, those plants have deep and tenacious roots.
    Rutland, England
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi @Jess91 - Even in  a small garden, an arch can look great, as long as you don't just stick it randomly in the middle on it's own  :)
    As @BenCotto has done - the arch leads to another part of the garden, and that's how to do it. It helps to have planting either side, so that it looks like you have a hedge/screen/structure dividing the garden, with the arch creating the entrance.
    It can actually make a garden look bigger, as it gives the impression of something else exciting beyond the gap. It's a tried and trusted design trick  :)

    @BenCotto - has the Niobe been short of water perhaps? They should be quite easy, but mine is by my pond,in hefty soil,  and also gets loads of water, from the sky  ;)
    I think it's my favourite clem. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    I built a wooden arch in our small garden. It separates the wildlife garden from the veg plot and under construction (hence the sheeting) patio. It has fencing either side, so appears to have purpose.

    I think that is the key thing. I remember years ago my neighbour had one, that was just plonked in the middle of a lawn, to me it looked kind of pointless as there was no reason to actually walk through it. It was easier to walk around it.

    So my advice in a small garden have a path or fence, some reason the eye is drawn to the arch and a purpose like separating distinct areas. Sorry for work in progress in the picture, the arch has been there 15 years now, the rest of the garden is being overhauled around it.




  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    My idea of 'small' may be different to other peoples here... I have an area of garden that is 30' x 15'.. I call that small... the arch I have whilst at the entrance, is small enough to not look out of place anywhere within that area..
    A foot has gone into the ground, cemented in as I'm near the north sea - windy.. which has left me with a height of 6' 3'' to the top bar, with a width of 4'... I think the 4' width is essential.. I've had 3' 6''  wide arches and it's tight to walk through...   I like my arch very much for this purpose... it cost £50 2 years ago, but I can't remember where I got it from, likely a seller on Amazon... the screws have rusted a bit but otherwise it's good, and it has integral lattice to half way up..

    Obviously this is a rose garden... if you want to grow roses, I recommend a strong scented variety - we all want to sniff something on the way through.. but don't be tempted by romantic notions of big ramblers and climbers.. they are far too big for this.. climbing Floribundas or shrub roses trained to climb are the way to go... I do have clematis as well, and I don't like it too crowded, otherwise I feel overwhelmed with total cover..






    East Anglia, England
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