The beauty of a garden comes from the plants, but it also originates from the structures. A gorgeous trellis, a striking archway, or a beautiful pathway add sculptural detail and height to an outdoor space. As per usual, Martha Stewart's design is the best inspiration out there.
The doyenne of homes took to Instagram to share her pergola idea, which she is currently in the process of restoring, and it's absolutely stunning. On her blog, Martha explains: 'Soon after moving to my property, I built a winding 300-foot pergola along one side of a carriage road leading to my home. Under it, I dug six-foot-wide beds and a grassy footpath. Supporting the wooden beams are antique granite posts from China originally used as grape supports. Every year, this area blooms with beautiful color. In May, a palette of lavender, violet, purple, and blue Camassias, alliums, croci, clematis, muscari, and others. Later in summer, hundreds of orange tiger lilies fill the border gardens. Now, as part of a restoration project, I am replacing the 20-year old timeworn wood with new beams and cedar rafter tails carved from a pattern I conceived and designed myself. Last week, the old wood came down and it's looking markedly different already.'
If you love the look of Martha's garden, luckily, it has benefits in any outdoor space. 'There are so many reasons to add a pergola to your backyard,' says Tenielle Jordison, gardens expert and garden writer at Homes & Gardens. 'You could use it to create an enchanting walkway lined with an abundance of planting, as Martha has, or set one up to house your outdoor dining space. I particularly love how pergola lighting can make it feel cozy at night, perfect for those long summer evenings with friends and family.'
This beautiful wooden pergola has a similar style to the one in Martha Stewart's garden. Its classic design would look gorgeous adorned with wisteria.
This pergola is perfect for creating an ad-hoc patio, if you are interested in building in some shade. It would look beautiful over a slate surface.
Wisteria is the classic accent to a pergola, and this stunning variety is the perfect choice. I think Martha Stewart would approve.
When thinking about how to design a pergola in your own yard, the most important criteria is choosing a durable material. To do this, Tenielle recommends recreating Martha's look. She states: 'Martha mentions she is replacing the beams of her pergola with cedar wood - a good weather-resistant choice. You can find cedar pergolas on Amazon and get the look of Martha’s pergola by painting it in Bedford Gray.'
Structures can transform a garden into more than just a planted space; take it from Martha Stewart.
