Garden Entrance Ideas

Wooden Archway with Climbing Plants

• A classic garden entrance is the white or natural-colored wooden archway, often covered with climbing plants such as roses or ivy. This entrance is wonderful for English gardens or informal gardens alive with flowers. A wooden archway works well with or without a wall around the rest of the garden.

Classic Garden Gate

• Gardens with walls of brick, wood or stone are often finished with a classic garden gate. The gate should match the structure of the walls; wooden walls require a wooden gate, while brick and stone walls are served better with a wrought-iron gate.

Pergolas

• Mediterranean gardens or green gardens are well-served with a pergola entrance. A pergola defines a specific outdoor space, enclosing it in four or more pillar-style supports and roofing it with a flat, open-structure top generally made of wood. Grape arbors are typically pergolas, for example. Pergolas are fantastic for defining a space without confining it. Use a pergola to mark the entrance to an open-space garden that needs to feel expansive.

Rock Pathway

• Garden entrances don't have to be above the ground. A rock pathway is often a perfect marker for your garden entrance, either continuing through the garden or fading into the landscape once you're inside. The type of path chosen depends on the type of garden it leads to; natural stone from the area is great for an informal garden or water garden, while patterned tile, brick or cobblestones are better for more formal gardens.

Natural Rock Pillars

• Like pergolas, natural rock pillars are best used to define an entrance to a garden that feels expansive. This is a minimalist approach, but it works well if you have a good garden plan. Gardens that are already separated by natural geographical features, such as gardens that are in a shallow depression compared to the rest of the lawn, are served well by this sort of entrance.

Water Features

• If you love water, a water feature can make a great garden entrance. There are several ways to do this. Twin koi ponds can mark a path into a garden, and a shallow lily pond with a bridge or simple stones crossing it defines a magical entry point into green gardens. If you choose this sort of garden entrance, be certain to keep stones high enough that visitors won't get their feet wet.