Varieties and functions of garden arches, DIY instructions
Making a garden arch with your own hands is easier according to the drawing. When the exact dimensions of the item are available, it is easy to calculate future material costs. Photos of ready-made solutions will help to awaken the imagination. With their help, it is easy to choose the shape of the decorative structure.
The main functions of a garden arch
Proper zoning makes the garden comfortable and well-groomed. It is difficult for a non-professional to deal with this. Building a garden arch helps solve the problem. Twisted with climbing plants, it will decorate the transition from the front zone to the utility zone, designate the territory of a flower garden, a recreation area, a parking lot, a playground.
Decorative
Space for the construction of a decorative arch in the garden will require less than for a gazebo. It is not difficult to arrange a comfortable resting place under it. Modern garden furniture is light and beautiful, it looks great against the background of climbing plants.The arch is often used as a separate decorative element. It settles on the path that runs along the lawn, or in a cozy corner of the garden. Arched forms blend harmoniously against the background of artificial reservoirs, they are built on bridges thrown over a pond, a stream.
Support for flowers, for other plants
When space is tight, the vertical design replaces the flower bed. Modern designers use the arch as an element of vertical gardening. Climbing plants planted alongside receive graceful support, and the garden is a wonderful decorative feature.
Part of the structural element
Arched structures consist of hedges, gazebos, terraces. For example, a portal is a visiting card of a country house, garden plot. The arch, installed above, acts as a decorative element on one side. The design decorates the appearance of the fence and attracts the attention of passers-by. At the same time, it performs an important function, strengthens the pillars to which the gate is attached.
Support for benches or swings
Welded metal frame - a reliable support for the bench. She is graceful, stable. It can be transferred from one corner of the garden to another, using it as a support for summer climbing plants, perennials.
An excellent place to relax is a wooden arch over a bench, a swing, intertwined with bunches of grapes, roses or clematis. It is good there in all weathers. It's cool in the heat, dry in the rain.
Varieties
Various materials are used to make garden arches. Original shape structures can be combined.
Metallic
The advantages of metal garden arches are obvious.They are durable, serve for a long time, it is not difficult to make them with your own hands. The tunnels made of metal rods of different thicknesses, intertwined with plants, are delicate and delicate. But they have a minus. They are not suitable for heavy plants.
In wood
Wooden structures create a cozy atmosphere in the garden. This material is inexpensive, affordable, very decorative. Its service life is shorter than that of metal, but it can be extended. Wooden surfaces, treated with modern means of protection against fungus, moisture, insects, serve for a long time.
Rock
Natural stone arches create a special medieval atmosphere in the garden. They are built in a picturesque corner of the garden. They are a decorative element. They are not used as support for climbing plants. The structure of the stone is massive, so it looks ridiculous in a small area.
Plastic
Plastic designs are very popular. It is easy to work with this material, it is affordable, but some nuances should be taken into account during operation:
- an arch installed on the sunny side loses its decorative effect more quickly;
- for the winter, the plastic structure must be removed, the material becomes unusable from negative temperatures.
Variety of structural shapes
The classification of bows has been around for a long time. You don't need to invent anything. You just need to choose the type of construction that best fits into the landscape of the garden. The choice of shapes is wide:
- gate;
- trapeze;
- modern;
- romance.
In gardens where there is little space, semi-archs are installed, they fit perfectly into the landscape of the garden. Proponents of original solutions are not looking for easy ways.
Arched and straight arches are not suitable for them, they build complex structures of a round shape.
How to do it yourself
Decorate the garden in a rustic style, place a wooden garden arch next to a wooden fence, plant a rose next to it. Or choose another simpler option: build a structure from metal arches. For DIY, choose a model suitable for the landscape and plants for the "decorator".
Choice of size and location
Place the arch where there is enough space for the structure and the plants. It must be beautiful, correspond to its objective:
- decorate the entrance to the garden;
- divide areas;
- decorate the garden, recreation area.
| Garden side | Plants |
| North | Ivy |
| wild grapes | |
| chubushnik | |
| South | Roses |
| Lemongrass | |
| western | joinery |
| wisteria | |
| black nightshade | |
| East | Capuchin |
| clematis |
Instructions according to the material of manufacture
The foundation is an important element of lightweight garden structures, only a well-fixed arch will last for years. A structure intertwined with greenery has an increased wind resistance, it can fall under the pressure of the wind.
To achieve the necessary stability, the arch is installed in a point concrete foundation, for which you need:
- plastic tubing;
- dry concrete;
- the water.
Made of metal
You don't need a welding machine to make a simple classic model. Small elements - rings, are fixed with a thin thread. The base of the frame is reinforced. Take 2 pieces of the required length, they are bent in an arc.
The formula for calculating the length of a piece of reinforcement = 2 * arch height + 40 cm (for deepening into the ground) + 40 cm (for deepening into the ground) + 1.5 * width. The decorative rings of the crosspiece are bent in wire.Their diameter depends on the width of the arc.
In wood
A novice master is able to make the simplest model. For the frame, buy bars with a section of 10 * 10 cm, you will need 4 pieces. It is important that the tree is well dried. Raw wood will lead.
Make the arch with boards. Enough 2 pieces. Decorate the walls of the arch with slats with a length of 3 m, you will need 4 pieces. Before assembly, cover the wooden parts with several coats of primer; well-known brand products are suitable:
- "Neomid";
- “Senezh”;
- Ultan.
For woodworking you need a minimum of tools - a jigsaw, a screwdriver. The holes for the foundation point are best made with a garden drill. During the work you will need a level, pegs and twine for marking, screws.
Made of plastic
Polypropylene pipes are suitable. For the bow, 20 (20 mm) is enough. For a simple garden structure, you will need 4 pipes 3 m long. They must be cut into 13 parts:
- 5 pieces of length 0.3;
- 10 segments of 1 m long.
To assemble the parts, you will need a welding machine and tees (20 mm), you need 8 of them. When assembled, the parts form a structure resembling a staircase. Pipes bend easily, so making an arch is easy:
- cut 4 pieces of reinforcement;
- push them into the ground in the right place;
- put the structure on the reinforcement.
How to choose plants
The climatic zone determines the range of climbing plants that can be planted next to the arch. Usually, annuals and perennials are planted near the base of the structure. In the latter, decorative qualities appear in 1-2 years.
Letniki fills this gap.Near the arch you can plant nasturtiums, sweet peas, kobei, morning glories. As the perennials grow, garden structures are decorated with hanging pots. Petunias and begonias that bloom all summer are planted there.
The choice of perennials for decorating garden arcades is huge:
- bougainvillea grows well in the shade, its shoots reach 10 m, and purple-purple flowers look incredibly beautiful;
- unpretentious hops are suitable for busy summer residents, they do not need regular care;
- Liana Campsis quickly wraps around the support, its yellow flowers, emerging from behind the leaves, adorn the garden until late autumn;
- an excellent choice is clematis, in beauty it is not inferior to roses, but it must be cared for, it needs regular watering and feeding;
- climbing roses are out of competition, bushes are planted at the base, shoots, as they grow, are tied to the elements of the garden structure.
Rules of maintenance and operation
Metal structures are subject to corrosion. Rusty places will need to be cleaned, primed, painted. The tree does not last forever. In a humid climate, unpainted parts of the arch should be treated with an antiseptic and a special primer every 2 years.
Surfaces painted with modern paint retain their decorative effect for at least 10 years. To make them aesthetically pleasing, it is enough to clean them in spring and autumn. Maintenance of plastic is simple. Parts can be easily cleaned with a garden hose. If desired, they can be painted in any color.
Examples of ready-made solutions
A ready-made disassembled arch can be purchased on the Internet, at any garden center.It is not difficult to assemble and install the product. A spanner and screwdriver are usually sufficient. These simple tools are found in every home.
When choosing a model, the purpose of the structure is taken into account, what plants will grow next to it. The filigree construction of the wire is suitable for clematis, climbing roses, and under the weight of the powerful wisteria it can deform.
Forged arches are suitable for heavy plants. They are suitable for gardens with furniture, barbecues, fences, forging swings. Such designs are not cheap. But they are still relevant. Choosing the right plant for your bow is very important. They are the main decorators. Their flowers, fruits, leaves, with the help of a garden structure, create an effective composition that decorates the landscape.