Pergola page

Pergola Page

Spring 1999.

This was constructed in September 1998 from pressure treated softwood poles The uprights are 5"- 6" in diameter and the remainder are 3" - 4" in diameter. The uprights are sunk into bored holes( to minimize earth disturbance) and the space around them filled with stone chippings, this is a locally available material. The posts were then finally adjusted to the vertical before a mixture of cement powder and water was poured around the base to soak down through the stone chippings to form a concrete mix. This was then left to set for several days before any more construction work was attempted. The first four pairs of poles are set 6' apart and the next two 4' to take into account a crossing path and then the final section up to the arbour. The horizontal cross poles on top of the pergola are spaced 2' apart to give plenty of support to the plants that will eventually clothe the pergola and not look too skimpy beforehand. One thing to remember is that all cut ends of the treated wood MUST be give a coat of a good wood preservative before assembly to preserve the integrity of the pressure treatment.

The arbour is constructed of treated sawn timber 3" x 3" in section and the vertical posts are set into steel spikes driven into the ground, so that the timber itself is not buried, this framework has been clad with trellis on three sides and the roof, the ground is paved with concrete slabs and a twin seated teak bench with a built in central table has been placed inside.

The wild cherry seen in front of the arbour was one that was suffering from bacterial canker and was replaced in 1999 with a Snake Bark Maple , this has been close planted with a climbing rose 'Super Star' to obtain some additional colour during the summer.

The planting for both the arbour and the pergola was chosen for fragrance first and decoration second and consists of the following :-

Climbing roses-(8)--Dance de Fu , Dublin Bay , Emily Gray , Compassion (2), Breath of Life, Casino , and Mrs. Sam MacCready.

Lonicera (Honeysuckle)-(3)-- Fragrantissima , Americana and Henryi.

Wisteria sinisus 'Caroline' , Vitus Brant (decorative grape vine) , Clematis montana 'Pink Perfection.