Pergolas . . .  what are they good for?

As I was sitting amongst a group of friends last evening, one asked, “Why do people have pergolas? What are they even good for?” I found myself immediately defending the pergola as if its feelings were hurt by the question!  Here are my top three “what are they good for” reasons.

1. Pergolas are used to frame important features. You want something to be notice - a hot tub, an entertainment space, an outdoor kitchen - all of these are perfect landscape feature candidates for a pergola. These strong vertical elements grab attention and direct your guest to areas of importance.

2. Pergolas are used for shade. Not only does the framework itself provide shade, but plants can be trained to grow on the pergola creating a garden oasis.

3. Pergolas are used as sculptural elements in a landscape. Many pergolas are custom built by craftsmen and have beautiful details that can add interest to a landscape when nothing is in bloom.