The UK's bestGarden Pergolas2022 Review

What Is a Pergola

A wooden pergola is a garden structure, usually made from wood, that consists of columns that support a roofing grid of beams and rafters. This roof may be left open or covered so as to create an area that is sheltered from the elements. Pergolas are usually freestanding, but they can be attached to a house of other garden building.

Garden pergolas provide height in the garden and make a lovely feature. When positioned toward the end of the garden they provide a structure that draws your eye through the garden.

Wooden pergolas provide a structure for climbing plants and when covered with climbing plants such as clematis, wisteria or climbing roses they create a beautiful, shady, scented area for seating. Sitting in a pergola covered with beautiful climbers really immerses you in the garden.

How to build your own pergola

A pergola is constructed from upright posts and roofing beams and timbers. Some may have decorative features and extra angled supports to create a nice design. The following is a simple but effective way to create your own pergola.

Dig holes 30cm x 30cm wide and 60cm deep for each post.

Prop a post upright in two of the adjacent holes.

Put a cross member on top of these two posts and check it is level.

Repeat this with the remaining uprights until all are level. You can backfill the holes or attach pieces of batten to hold the structure steady while you concrete in the posts.

Concrete in the posts with a stiff mix of concrete. You will need a friend to hold the posts level as you do this.

Make sure that the post is level using a plumb line and repeat for the remaining posts.

Once the concrete has set firm you can add the rest of the framework.

You will need to attach two cross beams parallel to each other onto the top of the uprights. You can do this with coach bolts. These cross beams can have mortices into which the roofing beams will sit.

Finally, fasten the beams across the roof of the pergola either into the mortices, or, if you haven’t created these, with suitable fixings.

Once the structure is completed you can add trellis, stain your wooden pergola and add plant wires as required.