Garden Arbor

I know it is very cliche, but the first sketches were drawn on a napkin over breakfast. You have to strike while the iron is hot! I then come home with napkin in tow and put initial idea to 3d sketchup, after I researched a little more Pacific Northwest and Asian Architecture. I really wanted to use bamboo, and my initial plan was to use bamboo as the top. I was going to make indentions for timber bamboo to set in with bolts so they could be drilled and fastened in place. They would need replaced periodically, but the climate is so dry in eastern Washington that bamboo lasts much longer than you would expect. Timber bamboo is relatively inexpensive too. The customer wanted something more permanent. She loves rusty steel and concrete. A steel trellis was to go in the center for climbing plants, but after the construction, the customer may leave it as is. The entire arbor is to hold a fir limb up off the ground and out of the way of the path. A rose and clematis may grace the sides. I think the scale of the piece in the garden is lovely. I got to pour the foundation, but was not present to form the main structure and cross pieces. Yes, those cross pieces are concrete. The report was the customer was extremely pleased with the whole piece. It is very gratifying seeing work go from a concept and drawing to a built structure.

My Sketchup Model I presented to the customer, along with other drawings.

The fir has already found its home on the top of the arbor.

5" steel pipe cut to length, and 10" concrete columns.

Because the garden path is curved the arbor has a slight curve. I expected a little bit more fan in the overhead pipe, but the difference in distance apart were swallowed up by the scale of the pipe and its length.


The customer has a beautiful garden that I helped design in its early stages. It is a true garden that has evolved and matured at the caring hand of its owner.