20 Gorgeous Garden Arbor Ideas for an Enchanting Outdoor Space

PHOTO: LAURIE BLACK

Give your yard a boost of style and added function with a beautiful garden arbor. Arbors can be simple or elaborate, but whichever type suits your home, our list of arbor ideas includes one that will enhance your backyard living space with charming appeal.

Deck Tour: Multilevel Deck with Eye-Catching Arbors01of 20Garden Arbor Path

RINNE ALLEN

Garden arbors provide an attractive way to divide your garden into sections or emphasize a particular area. Here, a simple stepping-stone path becomes an inviting entrance thanks to an arbor overflowing with blooms. The arbor’s dark gray finish lets the bright flowers take center stage.

02of 20Arbor Fence Ideas

KRITSADA PANICHGUL

Dress up a plain picket fence with a stylish garden arbor. Place the arbor arch over an entrance or gate to instantly give it a more sophisticated, eye-catching look. Trail vines up the sides to add texture and create a lush look.

03of 20Simple Arbor Design

MARTY BALDWIN

Although arbors offer an ideal perch for climbing plants, they can look just as attractive standing alone. Here, two elegant columns are topped with a wide arch to enhance this garden’s entrance. A low picket fence separates the garden from the rest of the yard, making the tall arbor structure especially striking.

04of 20Arbor Entrance

MATTHEW BENSON

Placing a garden arbor (even a simple one) over your front walk can dress up your front yard and make your entrance more memorable. Choose an arbor that fits your home’s style and scale for the most impact. Here, blooming clematis boosts the effect of a traditional metal garden arbor.

18 Sidewalk Landscaping Ideas for Your Front Yard05of 20Formal Garden Arbor

MICHAEL JENSEN

Garden arbors are a classic element in traditional landscaping designs. Place an arbor over a walkway to your garden to instantly elevate its appearance. Enhance the timeless look with carefully pruned hedges and symmetrical plantings.

06of 20Matching Garden Arbor

LAURIE BLACK

When choosing materials for your garden arbor, look to your home for inspiration. Your siding, roof, and exterior trim colors and textures can help offer guidance. Here, a gray-washed wood arbor contrasts with rich red siding while picking up the tones in the wood shingle roof.

07of 20Climbing Rose Arbor

ANDREW DRAKE

Train climbing roses over a garden arbor to create a dreamy display of cascading blooms. Look for the climbing rose varieties best suited to your area (not all roses grow well in all regions). Selecting the right rose will make your garden easier to keep up with, so you can enjoy more blooms for longer.

How to Pick the Best Roses to Achieve Your Garden Goals08of 20Patio Entrance Idea

ALISON BARNES MARTIN

A garden arbor makes a charming addition to any patio. Place an arbor across the pathway to your patio to define the entrance stylishly. For added privacy, train vines along the sides and top to help block the view.

09of 20Deck Arbor Ideas

STEPHEN CRIDLAND

Like it can enhance a patio, the right arbor can add drama to your deck. Keep the style and scale of your structure consistent with the rest of your deck for a unified look. Be sure to match the wood stain so the arbor doesn’t look out of place. Climbing plants along the top and sides is good for added deck privacy.

10of 20Garden Arbor Room

JOHN GRANEN

Combine a series of inexpensive metal arbor arches for an instant outdoor room within your garden. Together, they give a sense of enclosure, especially if you grow vines on them. This trick can also create a more dramatic entrance to your garden.

11of 20Garden Focal Point

TIM MURPHY

Give your eyes a place to go up in the garden. Here, a wooden arbor nestles in a lush perennial border to provide structure and height. The simple wood construction doesn’t detract from the colorful blooms below.

12of 20Small-Space Garden Arbor Arch

ANDREW DRAKE

Stuck with a narrow side yard? Use a simple arbor arch to help make it a destination. Here, a long and narrow space (which might otherwise go to waste) becomes a lush, inviting path thanks to a garden arbor and gate.

13of 20Cottage-Style Arbor

DAVID MCDONALD

Complete a cottage-style garden with a charming arbor that spills over with blooms. To make the flowers pop, choose a traditional white design, like this one placed across a front walkway. White lattice installed along the sides of the arbor continues the cottage aesthetic.

Cottage Landscaping Ideas for a Natural, Romantic Garden Style14of 20Painted Garden Arbor

EDWARD GOHLICH

Arbors are traditionally painted white or left their natural wood color. However, you can make yours eye-catching by painting it a bold, bright color. Be sure to choose a hue that will stand out against the surrounding greenery. Why not try a vivid shade of red to transform a basic arbor into a focal point and a work of garden art?

15of 20Garden Arbor Hedge

ERNIE BRAUN

A garden arbor arch can deliver a sense of surprise to your front yard. Consider incorporating one into a hedge or use a mix of materials, such as wood, metal, or stone to create an unexpected arbor. Here, a crisp white arbor rises out of a boxwood hedge and is crowned dramatically with climbing roses.

16of 20Birdhouse Arbor Idea

MIKE JENSEN

Make an arbor more than a decorative element by providing for the birds. Secure birdhouses along the sides or top of the arbor to create an inviting perch for feathered visitors. Tuck smaller houses in for a subtle effect or use them as a focal point.

17of 20Classic Garden Arbor

JANET MESIC MACKIE

Choose an arbor that complements your garden’s overall theme for maximum appeal. For example, if you have a classic-style garden, consider a traditional metal arbor, such as this one, with its decorative gates and stately spire. The classic theme continues with climbing roses to create the perfect vignette.

18of 20Asian-Style Arbor

JOHN REED FORSMAN

Achieve an Asian-style entrance to your garden with a simple arbor. Look for an arbor with clean, simple lines and natural color. Avoid overly ornate styles; in Asian garden design, simpler is usually better.

19of 20Living Arbor Idea

ERIC ROTH

Weeping conifers look great when they carpet the ground, but they’re especially stunning when supported and allowed to dangle. This weeping larch is a perfect plant to clothe an arbor with elegantly draping branches. Be sure your garden arbor is sturdy enough to support the weight before planting.

20of 20Garden Arbor with Bench

ROBERT CARDILLO

As you fill your garden with plants, don’t forget a place where you can sit for a while. A garden arbor with a bench underneath provides a lovely spot to enjoy the view. Add plenty of flowering vines overhead to provide shady seating.