Ex-arbor
I posted yesterday about converting my unsatisfactory arbor into a gateway. Here is the view as you walk toward the greenhouse. The star jasmine is clipped hard on the left, the butterfly vine on the right.
Here is the view leaving the greenhouse and walking back to the house.
I’m reserving judgment for now. I do like gates—or features that function as gates—within a garden, to distinguish one area from another (in this case, the patio garden from the greenhouse and shed). The construction does look less spindly now that it’s been chopped down to size. It may work but maybe not with the vines. Time will tell.
*Bill at Prairie Point has asked for a “before” picture. Here’s one from last September—the arbor is behind the bottle tree.
It’s cool and gray today, but the Mexican plum has tender shoots at the ends of its branches.
Did you post a “before” picture somewhere? I was actually intrigued by the original concept as you described it here.
Not meant as criticism of the present results, you understand.
* Bill, I just added a “before” picture. You can’t see it in detail, but you’ll get the idea. —Pam
Well, I have loved looking at your garden for months now! I’m the one that emailed you over the summer about how you did your patio. We have everything done inside our privacy fence except that part, which is one of two projects on the agenda for spring. I love arbors. Anyway you decide, I’m sure will look lovely.
Thanks! I’ve visited your blog several times since then and enjoyed seeing your gardening projects too. I look forward to seeing pics of how your patio turns out. —Pam
Pam, I’ve come back and looked at the photos a couple of times. My own arbor is a rather spindly tunnel, so your original photo doesn’t look bad to me. But if it was driving you nuts, there is only one right move: Off With Its Head!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
After I posted the “before” picture, I realized that the comparison is a bit unfair. In the Sept. photo, the garden is green and lush, and in the Jan. photo, it looks wintry, untidy, and brown. I’m still not sure whether the “gate” will work there, but I am certain that the arbor did not. Aside from the spindliness of it, the location—right at the corner of the garage—was wrong; the vines kept trying to climb up into the gutter and roof, which was a pain, plus it blocked the view of my new bottle tree. I like the new openness better, though I wouldn’t mind having a more beautiful arbor in a better spot. There’s always something else to plan for, isn’t there? —Pam
If it blocked your cool bottle tree, then it should definitely go! That’s the beauty of the garden, it’s almost as easy to move plants and structures as moving furniture, and as you say, there’s always a better spot!