Garden Arch

heavysnow

I was hoping to put up an arch in the garden to create a nice entrance to our patio at the back of the garden (and hopefully grow some sweet peas up it!). Being an avid money-saver, I was looking for a cheap way of doing this. Argos have an offer on a simple metal arch where you can buy one and get one free, but it's the wrong size for me - too narrow - and joining the 2 would look wrong unfortunately.

So, I was thinking about constructing an arch from bamboo canes. Would anyone have any tips for this - is it even possible? It needs to be at least 2m across.

Many thanks!

gbcasual

I bought a cheap garden arch and it rusted through in a few years, so cheap ones are no good long term if you are growing something up them.

2 arch kits may be difficult to combine into a wider one as the curve is not going to be easy to change, other than having a straight section at the top of the arch, which is not likely to look good.

As for bamboo, Iguess that depends on how artistic you are and your DIY skills!!

Cheers

Jon

Spirit_2

We have an arch my husband made from rustic poles bought from a local hardware store. We had to order them and they took about a fortnight to come in. It is very simple, but looks fine.

It is to support a climbing rose. No great carpentry skills required, it is after all 'rustic', and can be built to fit the space. This year he will build a pergola to match, which will hide the view of the oil tank and other stuff.

brogusblue

I brought from wilkinsons a lovely strong arch for my roses and since then i have brought another 2 of the same, They are the gothic Rose arch £14.99 each well worth the money.....

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Netting+Trellis/Outdoor-Living-Gothic-Arch-BlackGreen/invt/0248605

heavysnow

Thanks everyone for your replies so far!

brogusblue - that arch would be too narrow for the space I need to fit it into unfortunately - it looks good though.

Spirit - I was hoping to go down the cheap route of bamboo canes rather than pre-ordered wood. My thinking was that bamboo is very strong and could be made into whatever shape I fancy?

gbcasual - combining the 2 arches is definitely not an option! My carpentry skills were non-existent until I built a number of raised beds this year from wood I got off freecycle. I've really got a taste for it now!

So, is it fisable do you think to make a garden arch out of bamboo canes? I intend to grow sweet peas up it this year and perhaps something more permanent in future years - jasmine, honeysuckle or clematis....

angelavdavis

I noticed that Lidl had some arches in stock this week (£6.99 from memory?) but as gbcasual says, I have also found that they really only last a short while.

Personally, I would try to save up for a better quality wooden or metal one or build one using bean-poles, tied together into an arbour.

Lotus-eater

If you can find someone that still coppices hazel, that would make a great arch. Quite often they still do it and sell them as local bean poles, contact the local forestry body.
They will last far longer if you can fit them into a metal spike that is doing the underground work.

Other ideas, get green oak poles, you might be lucky and be able to get some, these last really well in the soil and should still be bendy enough to tie together in an arch.

Get a local blacksmith to make you one, cost alot more, but will last forever.

Make a living willow arch, get willow cuttings from anywhere.

heavysnow

Some more great ideas there - thankyou!

What is the difference between bean poles and bamboo canes?

I definitely don't want to go down the route of buying a cheap metal arch, so the most cost effective way of building a sturdy arch is probably my best bet I think.

Would a home-made bamboo arch not last/ not be sturdy enough?

Lotus-eater

Depends how the bamboo arch is made, difficult to make them bend enough though, but if you find thin enough ones, you can tightly tie them in.
There probably is a way to make them bend easier.
Should last a few years.

A bean pole is anything you use for beans.... can be a bamboo cane.

Nah, the cheap metal arches are awful. Stay well away.

I'd decide what you want it to be made out of first and how much you want to spend, then take it from there.

Of course you can always go and buy some pressure treated softwood and use that to make an arch. Again will last a few years. Won't be a true arch as such, but will look as good as you can make it.

angelavdavis

I wouldn't use bamboo - sorry I meant hazel when I was talking beanpoles. You can usually pick them up for about £5 for 10 at a decent garden centre. They are about 1.5 in diameter, so can't be bent, you would need to build an arbour like this one.

Minus the seat of course!

brownfrog

It's definitely not worth getting the cheap metal arches - they're just plastic-covered metal tubes, and the weight of a rose plus a reasonably decent wind will collapse them (I know!). OTOH, a good wrought iron metal arch should last for years - I bought one from Cannock Gates over 15 years ago and painted it with Hammerite. It was still going strong after 7 years when we sold the house, and AFAIK, it's still there (at any rate, I could still see the very heavy jasmine we had growing over it when we passed it a few weeks ago). Most of the arches are the typical 3ft wide, but the Sherwood arch is nearly 4.5ft wide, so it might suit. The prices are good too, particularly for the quality.
http://www.cannockgates.co.uk/shop/product/191/Sherwood-Garden-Arch/