Every year as the weather gets warmer, us Brits imagine enjoying the outdoors with meals outside, country picnics and barbecues with friends. Unfortunately, we don’t live in Australia or a country bordering the Mediterranean and the reality for us can often mean cooking sausages under an umbrella while our guests huddle in the shed or under the hastily constructed tent-like gazebo.
However, if your garden is large enough, why not construct a permanent gazebo? This will then be something that you will be able to use on hot days to keep out of the sun and on cooler days for some shelter. Designs today are not only very practical but also very attractive and will enhance the look of your garden rather than appear as an eyesore. You can use all sorts of construction material for building a gazebo, though probably the most popular styles will include a slatted timber roof and timber or stone pillars for support. However, if you really want to make the most use of your pergola, then you will need to have a solid roof. For added protection from the elements you may want to include a timber back wall and/or side walls as well, to make it more cosy whilst enabling you to enjoy the outdoors. Classic styles, reminiscent of park band stands, look good in almost any setting, though may be more appealing for those with more sheltered gardens.