There is something undeniably sophisticated about a pergola. Many admire the Harold Peto-designed example in the gardens at West Dean that’s arguably one of the classiest in the country: 100 metres long, with a stone gazebo at one end, a waterlily pond at the other, and intricate details along the way, such as a beautifully laid mosaic floor and perfectly trained stems of rambling roses and wisteria crisscrossing and spiralling around its supporting pillars.
A pergola of that size and stature may not be on your shopping list, but the beauty of a pergola is that it can be scaled to fit the size available and be just as impactful. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a pergola as ‘An arbour; a covered walk or shelter, especially one formed of growing plants over a framework’, but that does pergolas a disservice for they’re much more useful and versatile than
