20 Gorgeous Garden Arbor Ideas for an Enchanting Outdoor Space

By Jessica Bennett
Updated April 17, 2020
Credit: Laurie Black
Give your yard a boost of style and added function with a beautiful garden arbor. Whether standing alone or covered with climbing vines and flowers, these outdoor structures add a striking focal point to your yard. These arbor ideas will enhance your garden with charming appeal.
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Garden Arbor Path

Credit: Rinne Allen

Garden arbors provide an attractive way to divide your garden into sections or emphasize a certain 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.

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Arbor Fence Ideas

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

Dress up a plain picket fence with a stylish garden arbor. Place the arbor 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.

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Simple Arbor Design

Credit: 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 and makes the tall arbor structure especially striking.

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Arbor Entrance

Credit: 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. For the most impact, choose an arbor that fits with the style and scale of your home. Here, blooming clematis dresses up a traditional metal garden arbor.

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Formal Garden Arbor

Credit: Michael Jensen

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

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Matching Garden Arbor

Credit: Laurie Black

When choosing materials for your garden arbor, look to your home for inspiration. The colors and textures in your siding, roof, and exterior trim 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.

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Climbing Rose Arbor

Credit: Andrew Drake

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

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Patio Entrance Idea

Credit: Alison Barnes Martin

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

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Deck Arbor Ideas

Credit: Stephen Cridland

Just 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. For added deck privacy, train climbing plants along the top and sides.

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Garden Arbor Room

Credit: John Granen

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

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Garden Focal Point

Credit: 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.

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Small-Space Garden Arbor

Credit: Andrew Drake

Stuck with a narrow side yard? Use a simple arbor 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.

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Cottage-Style Arbor

Credit: 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.

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Painted Garden Arbor

Credit: Edward Gohlich

While arbors are traditionally painted white or left their natural wood color, you can add extra eye-appeal by painting yours in bold, bright colors. Be sure to choose a hue that will stand out against the surrounding greenery. Try a vivid shade of red to transform a basic arbor into a focal point and a work of garden art.

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Garden Arbor Hedge

Credit: Ernie Braun

A garden arbor can deliver a sense of surprise to your front yard. Consider incorporating an arbor into a hedge, or using 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.

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Birdhouse Arbor Idea

Credit: Mike Jensen

More than a decorative element, a garden arbor can also help provide for the birds. Secure birdhouses along the sides or top of the arbor to create an inviting perch for birds. Tuck smaller houses in for a subtle effect or use them as a focal point.

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Classic Garden Arbor

Credit: Janet Mesic Mackie

For maximum appeal, choose an arbor that complements your garden's overall theme. If you have a classic-style garden, consider a traditional metal arbor, such as this one with its decorative gates and stately spire on top. Continue the classic theme with climbing roses to create the perfect vignette.

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Asian-Style Arbor

Credit: John Reed Forsman

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

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Living Arbor Idea

Credit: 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.

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Garden Arbor with Bench

Credit: Robert Cardillo

As you fill your garden with plants, don't forget to leave a spot where you can enjoy the view. A garden arbor with a bench underneath provides a lovely spot to take in the view. Add plenty of flowering vines overhead to provide shady seating.

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