A Guide to Garden Structures: Arbours, Gazebos, and More

In a well-designed garden, structure is everything. From intimate arbours to sweeping gazebos, garden structures shape the outdoor space, bringing definition, style, and purpose. They carve out corners for solitude, create welcoming zones for entertaining, and guide the eye through the landscape. Whether planning a complete transformation or simply adding a feature piece, the right structure can make your garden feel like a natural extension of your home.

Our guide explores essential garden structure ideas-how they differ in function and form, what materials to look for, and how each can enhance your outdoor living experience. From wooden garden structures that bring rustic charm to sleek patio covers for year-round shelter, we'll highlight some standout options available at elbec garden buildings.

What Are Garden Structures?

Garden structures are architectural elements placed within an outdoor space to shape, divide, frame, or enhance it. They bring intention to the layout of a garden, providing physical function and visual storytelling. Whether you aim to create a private corner, introduce climbing greenery, or anchor a social space, these structures act as utility and ornament.

Types and Styles

There's a wide spectrum of garden structure ideas, each suited to different layouts and lifestyles:

• Arbours - Typically small, seated structures with a roof and trellised sides, designed to offer a semi-enclosed space for relaxation. Arbours are often traditional in style, blending seamlessly into cottage or naturalistic gardens.
• Garden Arches - Freestanding or attached frameworks that form a curved passageway. These are particularly useful for guiding foot traffic, framing vistas, or inviting you to explore a new section of the garden.
• Pergolas - Usually made from four or more upright posts with cross beams across the top, forming an open canopy. Pergolas range in style from rustic wooden frames to sleek modern slats and can stand alone or adjoin a building.
• Verandas/Patio Covers - These are more architectural in form. They provide fixed overhead shelter while remaining open-sided. They are ideal for extending your home's footprint and can be designed to feel like outdoor living rooms.
• Gazebos - Larger, freestanding pavilions with a solid roof and open or partially enclosed sides. Gazebos are often circular or hexagonal and are used for entertaining or creating a dramatic centrepiece in the garden.

Each structure introduces a different look and feel and its practical benefits.

Functions and Uses

Garden structures serve multiple roles-some obvious, others subtle:

• Shelter and Shade - Pergolas, verandas, and gazebos provide shelter from the elements, making patios and decks usable year-round.
• Privacy and Screening - Arbours and corner seating units offer secluded spaces for reading or chatting, especially when framed by planting.
• Supporting Growth - Arches, pergolas, and trellises provide frameworks for climbing plants to flourish, introducing vertical interest and seasonal colour.
• Defining Spaces - Structures segment a garden into purposeful areas, such as dining, lounging, or planting zones, creating a considered and cohesive garden.
• Visual Anchors - A well-placed gazebo or arbour can draw the eye and act as a focal point that lends drama or romance to a garden scene.
• Transition Points - Arches and pergolas often mark changes in a garden's journey-from lawn to border or path to patio.

In smaller gardens, they can increase usable space by transforming overlooked corners. In larger gardens, they bring rhythm and hierarchy to the design, giving structure to otherwise sprawling areas.

Materials and Maintenance

Choosing the right material is just as important as selecting the right type of structure. Most garden structures fall into two main categories:

• Wooden Garden Structures - Wooden garden structures are warm, organic, and easy to blend with natural settings. Pressure-treated timber is most common, offering resistance to rot and insect damage. It can be stained or painted for a personal touch and is especially popular for arbours, pergolas, and traditional gazebos.
• Metal and Aluminium Structures - These are sleek, strong, and often maintenance-free. They are commonly used for patio covers and contemporary gazebos. Aluminium frames are rust-resistant and durable and are often paired with polycarbonate roofing for UV protection.
• Polycarbonate Panels - Found in many verandas and gazebos, these roofing materials are lightweight, weatherproof, and UV-resistant. They're typically used in conjunction with metal framing to create light-filled, year-round outdoor shelters.

Each material has merits-timber offers a classic, tactile appeal, while aluminium and polycarbonate provide a more contemporary, low-maintenance alternative.

Placement and Positioning

Where you position a structure matters just as much as what you choose. Consider:

• Sunlight - Use pergolas and patio covers to filter midday sun on terraces, or place arbours where morning or evening sun gently lights the seat.
• Wind Direction - In exposed gardens, opt for solid-sided gazebos or corner arbours to create windbreaks and cosy retreats.
• Views - Arches or gazebos can frame distant vistas, or arbours can create a moment of pause that opens up to a planted area or water feature.
• Flow - Consider how people move through the garden. Arches can signal entry points, pergolas can define walkways, and modular seating can guide how a space is used.
• Privacy - Position corner arbours or seating sets near fences, walls, or planting borders to create private nooks.

In urban gardens where space is at a premium, vertical structures like arches and arbours provide impact without encroaching on floor area. In country gardens, more expansive pergolas and gazebos can create gathering spaces that feel both open and enclosed.

Garden Arbours: Relaxation with a View

A garden arbour is a seated structure, often with latticework and a slatted roof, designed to offer a quiet, semi-sheltered space to enjoy your surroundings. Typically made from pressure-treated timber, these wooden garden structures blend beautifully into natural settings and are often enhanced with climbing roses or honeysuckles for a more romantic look.

Forest Lyon Garden Arbour

Combining comfort, charm, and clever storage, the Forest Lyon Garden Arbour is a standout addition to any garden retreat. With a gently arched roof and diamond trellis sides, it creates a light, inviting space to relax-while the integrated under-seat storage box keeps outdoor essentials close to hand but neatly hidden.

Crafted from pressure-treated timber and backed by Osmose Naturewood wood preservation, this wooden garden structure resists rot and decay, making it a long-lasting investment. Whether you prefer its natural finish or plan to personalise it with a decorative wood stain, this arbour is practical and picturesque. Delivered flat-packed with clear instructions, it's designed for straightforward assembly and years of enjoyment.

Modular Seating Sets: A Modern Take on Arbours

For those who want more flexibility than a fixed arbour, modular garden seating offers a contemporary alternative. It lets you tailor your space to suit your layout.

6'9 x 1'9 Forest Modular Wooden Garden Seating Set Number 2

The 6'9 x 1'9 Forest Modular Wooden Garden Seating Set Number 2 includes six trellis panels, a spacious bench, a square seat, and a matching planter. The result? A stylish garden nook that can be arranged to suit your space. The wooden construction offers durability, while the mix of seating and greenery creates a relaxed, modern aesthetic-perfect for entertaining or enjoying a morning brew. It's a smart option for those who like structure with a softer edge.

Corner Garden Structures: Perfect for Unused Spaces

Corner arbours cleverly use underutilised garden spots, transforming dead space into cosy seating areas.

Rowlinson Pemberley Corner Arbour Seat - Pressure Treated

This Rowlinson Pemberley Corner Arbour Seat is both practical and beautiful. Built from pressure-treated timber, it resists rot while showcasing diamond lattice sides and a pergola-style roof. The integrated triangular table adds function, perfect for a pot of tea or a lantern. Seating up to four, it's ideal for sociable moments or peaceful pauses in the garden's quieter corners.

Garden Arches: Elegant Entrances and Plant Supports

Garden arches are not just decorative-they're directional. They frame views, highlight transitions, and encourage climbing plants to create natural archways.

Rowlinson Stapeley Garden Arch - Pressure Treated

The Rowlinson Stapeley Garden Arch has a broad, slatted design that is stylish and functional. Its open pergola top and sturdy timber frame make it perfect for supporting wisteria or rambling roses. Pressure treatment ensures long-term durability, and it is wide enough to comfortably span most garden paths.

Rowlinson Wrenbury Round Top Arch

The Wrenbury Round Top Arch adds instant elegance and vertical drama to your garden. Its curved silhouette and lattice-style detailing make it a standout feature-perfect for marking pathways, framing flowerbeds, or creating a show-stopping floral tunnel with climbing roses, clematis, honeysuckle, or wisteria.

Made from robust steel with a gunmetal grey powder-coated finish, this arch blends contemporary design with classic appeal. The Wrenbury Arch offers endless creative potential, whether used as a single focal point or repeated to form a garden walkway. Supplied flat-packed with all fixings and easy-to-follow instructions, it's a beautiful, low-maintenance choice for the design-conscious gardener.

Verandas and Patio Covers: Seamless Outdoor Living

A veranda, also called a patio cover or garden awning, extends your home's footprint outdoors. These structures offer protection from rain or harsh sunlight, allowing you to comfortably enjoy alfresco moments.

10 x 14 Palram Canopia Sierra Grey Clear Patio Cover

The 10 x 14 Palram Canopia Sierra Grey Clear Patio Cover features UV-protected polycarbonate panels and a corrosion-resistant aluminium frame, offering a generous shaded space. The clear roofing allows natural light through while blocking UV rays, and its leak-free design keeps the area beneath dry. Easy to install and built to last, it's ideal for those who enjoy structured garden lounging or outdoor dining all year round.

Pergolas: Shaping Light and Shadow

Pergolas are open structures made from posts and beams, perfect for breaking up open space and supporting plant growth. Unlike a gazebo, they have no solid roof-just beams that beautifully filter sunlight.

10 x 10 Mercia Traditional Wooden Pergola - Pressure Treated

The 10 x 10 Mercia Traditional Wooden Pergola features wide cross beams and thick timber posts for a bold silhouette. Perfect for training vines or stringing garden lights, it creates a defined yet airy zone for outdoor dining or lounging. Pressure-treated timber ensures longevity and minimal maintenance.

Gazebos: Grand Structures for Entertaining

Gazebos are the most enclosed garden structures. Their sturdy roofs and open or semi-enclosed sides create luxurious outdoor rooms perfect for entertaining.

10 x 10 Palram Canopia Ledro 3000 Enclosed Garden Gazebo (3.00m x 3.00m)

The Ledro 3000 Enclosed Garden Gazebo is a modern masterpiece that bridges the gap between garden and home. Fully enclosed with clear sliding panels, this 3m x 3m structure is a luxurious sunroom, outdoor office, private spa, or year-round garden retreat-whatever your lifestyle calls for.

Its rust-resistant aluminium frame offers strength without the upkeep, while the grey-tinted 6mm twin-wall polycarbonate roof filters sunlight beautifully and provides 100% UV protection. Sliding double doors can be positioned on any side, giving you complete control over access and airflow. With an integrated roof vent for continuous circulation and a leak-free design, this gazebo is a stylish and dependable choice for all seasons. Built from 100% recyclable materials and thoughtfully engineered for DIY-friendly assembly, the Ledro 3000 is where contemporary garden living begins.

12 x 14 Palram Canopia Roma Grey Hexagonal Garden Gazebo

The 12 x 14 Palram Canopia Roma Grey Hexagonal Garden Gazebo has a unique hexagonal shape and 15cm aluminium columns. Its twin-wall polycarbonate roof features screw-free panels that prevent leaks and block UV rays while reducing heat. Perfect for larger gatherings or as a permanent hot tub enclosure, the Roma gazebo brings architectural sophistication to any outdoor layout.

6 x 7 (1.87m x 2.16m) Shire Gazebo

Charming and traditional, the 6 x 7 Shire Gazebo brings your garden a sense of timeless elegance. Its hexagonal footprint, solid timber walls, and balustrade-style detailing offer a sheltered, open-fronted space perfect for two-ideal for morning coffees, quiet reading, or escaping the sun on hot summer days.

Crafted in the UK using sustainably sourced, slow-grown timber, this gazebo features high-grade shiplap tongue and groove cladding for improved weather resistance and a longer lifespan. The tight grain of the slow-grown wood offers greater strength and durability than cheaper, fast-grown alternatives. With its natural finish, this wooden garden structure can be customised with paint or stain to suit your garden's style. The Shire Gazebo adds structure, comfort, and a touch of country garden charm, whether as a centrepiece or tucked into a peaceful corner.

Choosing the Right Garden Structure

When planning a structured garden, think in layers:

• Small gardens benefit from arches and corner garden structures like the Pemberley Arbour.
• Modern spaces pair beautifully with modular seating and slatted arches.
• Family gardens might lean towards verandas or pergolas for flexible, shaded play or dining zones.
• Entertainers will appreciate gazebos for their all-weather protection and spacious interiors.

The right combination of structure and space creates rhythm and flow throughout the garden, balancing practical function with visual beauty.

Create a Structured Garden That Works for You

Whether you're drawn to wooden garden structures for their rustic appeal or prefer sleek, maintenance-free aluminium options, there's something to suit every style and budget. Arbours and arches add charm and intimacy, pergolas and verandas offer layered shade, and gazebos provide a luxurious, year-round retreat.

Start shaping your outdoor space with elbec garden buildings today. Discover our full collection of garden structures, or speak with our friendly team to find a solution that fits your space and lifestyle.

Contact us on 0115 965 9900 or get in touch here to explore our range of arbours, pergolas, gazebos, and more. Let's build your garden's next chapter together.

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Posted by Marilyn Elliott
3rd June 2025

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