Add Charm to Your Landscape with a Gated Arbor

A metal arbor with a gate is the perfect entrance to your yard or garden. It defines the space and adds an ornate look. 



An arbor for your garden may be handcrafted, mass-produced or custom ordered. An optimal size for this type of garden structure is generally eight feet tall, so that even the tallest person is comfortable walking through the gate. The width should not crowd someone either and so a five to six foot width is desired.



The homeowner and gardener who takes pride in his lawn will enjoy having a metal arbor with a gate in his garden. The metal work can be ornate or rustic in style and should correspond to the architectural detail of the home. Plants can be trained to climb the arbor or plantings may be situated at the base of the structure.



Most pictures of arbors show them as being rounded across the top, like an archway, but they also may have a linear crosspiece at the top instead. In either case a sturdy metal arbor with a gate adds artistic interest in outdoor spaces around a yard or garden. Buyers should select sturdy structures that are easy to anchor to the ground for the most secure placement. Then growing plants or heavy winds are less likely to cause it to tip over.



Choose a focal point to place your metal work in your garden. Use it to highlight a special plant or group of plants. It is also helpful to direct traffic to your walkways. Statues in the lawn or other points of interest also enhance these types of structures.

The homeowner should have the ironwork installed in the early spring or late fall. At those times some of the foliage is gone, either died back or not yet growing. There is less disruption of plantings at that time and the surrounding vegetation will grow up around the arbor making it look well established along side of the surrounding plants.



Purchase metal work for the yard through online sales, or at local garden centers and nurseries. Home improvement centers offer good selections as well. Purchase the highest quality that fits the budget to get the longest lasting decor for the yard. Think about hiring a professional designer to select the best location and plantings, and if do-it-yourself projects are not your strong point, use a professional installer to increase the stability of it.



Metal work adds ornamental notes to the yard and brings a historic appearance to the greenery. Arbors are suitable for climbing roses, trailing plants and plants that will grow around their base. Installing metal work in the garden is a long-term design choice and gives new lines to the familiar plot.