Spring in Tulsa beckons homeowners to venture out of doors to enjoy the beauty and comfort of nature. Sunny weather and fresh air make spending time outside with family a joy — especially when you’re making the most of your backyard’s landscaping. As you consider ways to update your yard, don’t overlook the usefulness and attractiveness you’ll get by installing a pergola.
A wide open structure that adds character and charm, a pergola beautifies your landscaping and enhances your home’s value in many ways. At ProActive Landscaping, our creative design team loves building Tulsa area homeowners the perfect pergola and other landscaping elements to create outdoor spaces that spark joy for you.
To consider whether a pergola is right for your home, take a look at these 9 advantages you’ll enjoy by adding a pergola to your yard.
1. Affordability
A cost-effective way to transform the look and usefulness of an outdoor space is to install a beautiful new pergola. These structures are not only economical, but also simple to build or have installed. In no time at all, they can give your yard a much-needed makeover.
2. Attractiveness
A well-built pergola can add a lovely elegance to your backyard. With so many pergola designs to choose from, there is bound to be one in your price range that suits your needs and style. And they can be decorated as you wish. Hang twinkle lights from the beams for a romantic feel. Or, string watertight fabric from one vertical post to another to create a Romanesque appearance that invites visitors to relax and enjoy nature.
3. Added Space
Adding a pergola to your backyard helps define your outdoor entertainment spaces in a unique way. Your outdoor furniture and accessories can be partially sheltered beneath it, offering an inviting place to sit and take in your surroundings. A pergola that is directly attached to the home can provide protection from direct wind and rain when you’re outside. Or, you can opt for a freestanding pergola that can be moved when you wish to create a new space when it’s time to mix things up.
4. DIY Experience
If you enjoy projects where you can use your building skills, creating a pergola is a fairly simple task to undertake. With the right tools and perhaps a friend or two to lift posts and set rafters, making a do-it-yourself pergola can be quite enjoyable. If you’re not sure you have the tools needed or the exact know-how, pergola kits with pre-cut pieces and the hardware necessary are readily available. Of course, doing some things yourself just aren’t worth the money saved. Choosing a landscape design team like ours can make your life easier and get you a custom style not available from a DIY kit.
5. Durability
Wood is a popular option for pergolas — classic and lovely. But keep in mind that wood pergolas need to be well maintained to stay intact. If not painted and treated regularly, wood may splinter, warp, be eaten by insects or rot. For durability without that level of upkeep, consider a vinyl pergola. Vinyl isn’t susceptible to termites and other wood-boring insects, nor is it prone to splintering or warping. And a vinyl pergola design tends to keep its shape and color longer than wood.
6. Eco-Friendliness
Vinyl pergolas are non-toxic and thus safe for you and the environment. They can also be fitted with solar power units that can save money and reduce your dependence on the power grid.
7. Low Maintenance
While wooden pergolas will require regular maintenance, vinyl designs are definitely low maintenance. Vinyl doesn’t need annual staining or paint touch-ups. This reduces the time and effort involved in caring for the pergola, so you spend more time simply enjoying your outdoor spaces.
8. Home for Plants
Pergolas combined with plants and flowers can make your outdoor space a beautiful and relaxing getaway. Partnered with the right greenery, like climbing flowers, vines, and ivy, a pergola can allow you to be a part of nature and enjoy your shaded area at the same time. Wisteria, clematis and grape vines look lovely as they climb the posts and beams of your pergola and add a special ambience. Plus, climbing plants generally need very little maintenance as they work their way up the posts of a pergola or across a well-placed lattice. Other plants you choose to partner with your pergola, like roses, might demand more attention than other climbing plants, but are well worth the beauty they provide to your shaded area.
9. Shade Control
Speaking of shade, pergolas provide a great deal of shelter from the sun. Your pergola’s beams can be spaced closely together to create more cooling shadows, or wide apart to invite in sun and allow for stargazing at night. For a fully shaded pergola, waterproof fabric applied to the beams above can make a nice covering, while still providing an enjoyable, airy outdoor experience.
Get the Landscaping Design You’ve Been Longing For
This spring, give yourself the landscaping of your dreams. Check out the ways in which a lovely pergola can create an added touch of class and style — and reach out to our team with any landscaping design questions you have.
