Wood and Stone Arbor

An arbor gives a vertical support for any number of vines. It is great for making a mid-level screen to frame a view. In this case there is a driveway just beyond this arbor and the foliage screens the pool area from that drive, yet allows a valley view. An arbor might just give a shady zone for an afternoon escape. Or the arbor might provide some quality of architectural line or shape. One of the most important aspects of arbor design when paired with a plant is that the arbor should be able to hold up the plant. A wisteria can weigh as much as 500 lbs or more on an arbor this size. It is better to build it stronger than you think you might need. The building materials will always deteriorate over time. The wood in an arbor may last as little as 10 years before needing replacement. One of the weakest points is where the wood touches the ground. So for this arbor I built a stone seat at the base of each post and cemented in brackets to hold up the wood.