As the weather outside begins to warm up, many of us are enjoying the luxury of leisure time in our backyards. Whether it’s a lazy afternoon spent on a lounger, tending to a vegetable patch or rose bush, or entertaining friends and family late into the evening over a barbeque or drinks, a backyard provides the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors from the comfort of your own home.
One of the best ways to transform your backyard is by installing an outdoor structure that offers you a multi-functional area to relax. In this article, we have outlined some of the best outdoor structures to install which will allow you to bask in and enjoy the natural surroundings of your own backyard.
Gazebo
With origins that date back to around 1400 BC, gazebos were first constructed by the Egyptians and commonly used in their gardens by royalty. These freestanding, pavilion-like structures are usually octagonal or hexagonal in shape and built with a solid roof that covers their open sides to provide full shelter and shade as well as 360-degree views.
With their ground level or slightly elevated platform, gazebos are naturally elegant and inviting in design making them ideal for relaxing in and taking in the sights as well as gathering with friends and family. Gazebos also offer an intimate and private area in which you can retreat and escape the stresses of the day, no matter the weather.
As well as their practical benefits, gazebos can also provide a beautiful ornamental feature to your backyard, thanks to their regal and elegant design. You can find out more about a gazebo builder here.
Pergola
A pergola is a freestanding, outdoor feature with an open roof that is supported by wooden posts or columns. These sturdy beams are often used to train vines such as wisteria, honeysuckle, bougainvillea and other climbing plants to create a beautiful and natural oasis in which to relax and recharge.
Pergolas also offer a shaded walkway or seating area which provides filtered or full shade throughout the day depending on how exposed the canopy is. Their wooden beams lend themselves well to hanging lanterns and fairy lights making them the perfect place for an evening of entertainment or dining with friends and family.
With their open roof, and views of the night sky, pergolas create an expansive feel, allowing you and your guests to enjoy time spent in your backyard underneath the stars.
Trellis
A trellis is a framework of interwoven pieces of wood often shaped into a lattice-like structure and is commonly used to train and support flowering vines, shrubs and plants to grow vertically.
A trellis can be a freestanding structure in your backyard or mounted against a blank wall to add visual interest and appeal. It can also be used to add privacy as well as character to your outdoor space by creating a charming entryway or enclosure and adding a sense of romanticism to your garden. Typical materials used to create a trellis include wood, metal or vinyl.
Veranda
A veranda is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch attached to the outside of a building and often extends all the way along its length. Similar to a porch, which is an extension to the front entrance of a house, a veranda can be attached to the front or back of a house.
Whether at ground level or elevated a veranda is partly enclosed by railings and posts which may enclose the entire structure or part of it. Verandas offer shade from the summer sun during the day and protection from the elements during the colder, wetter months, providing you with a place to relax and enjoy the views overlooking your backyard.
Traditionally found attached to colonial homes in Africa as well as Spanish colonial homes in America’s southwest, verandas gained popularity in the late 19th century and were often built on the exterior of many upper-class homes in the U.S. during this time. This was especially so in the South where the warmer weather allowed residents to enjoy the views and outdoor climes all year round.
Arbor
Derived from the French word herbere or herbe, meaning herb or grass, an arbor is a freestanding structure that is often shaped as an arch. With open or covered sides, an arbor usually has lattices on either side which help the plants or flowers to better attach to it. Their origins also date back to early Egyptian gardens, as they provided respite from the desert heat. They also became increasingly popular structures in Roman gardens.
Arbors are usually smaller than trellises or pergolas, and are commonly used to define an passageway and can be used to frame a point of interest in your backyard. Arbors are used to train vining flowers, fruits and plants and as a result, provide a charming and decorative element to your backyard as well as a place of shade and shelter. An arbor built over a gate, bench or garden path can create a natural tunnel that provides privacy and shade and allows plants to grow into the structure, blending in with their surroundings from a new height.
Arbors are usually made of wood or rustic metals such as wrought iron and are usually 8 to 10 feet in height allowing ample room to walk beneath them and the climbing plants overhead. Some of the best climbing plants for an arbor include Blue Moon Wisteria, bougainvillea, Jewel of Africa Nasturtium and Trumpet Vine.
Pavillion
A pavilion is an outdoor structure that sits somewhere between a pergola and a gazebo. Like a gazebo, it is a roofed structure that is supported by four or more columns yet is completely open on all sides. With no built-in floor, a pavilion stands on ground level and is commonly made with timber frames.
This fully-roofed structure offers shade from the sun and is ideal for relaxing in your backyard and for hosting parties outdoors.
Now that you know more about the various structures that can be installed in your backyard to enhance its beauty and value, you can decide which feature would look best in your outdoor space.
