Humans have always cultivated vegetation for food, which is vital to survival; but gardens of flowers and plants, grown strictly for their beauty, seem to have played equally important roles in every society. Although it is not clear how long ago ornamental gardens, including structures, such as arbors and trellises, came into being, evidence of them has been found in Egyptian tomb paintings, many of which depict lotus ponds, acacias, and palms, from as far back as 1500 B.C.
Ancient Romans, who thought of their gardens as places of peace and serenity, used them to escape their daily stresses. They must have been onto something, because contemporary gardens are quite similar to those of ancient Rome, which was loaded with stress factors, and are frequently used for refuge as well. Apparently, their ability to help preserve sanity is a big reason that these gardens have always been as important as the ones that were grown strictly for sustenance.
A common feature of those archaic gardens was the arbor, which was used for decoration, shade, displaying climbing flowers, supporting fruiting vines, and building elaborate pathways, and even mazes, through the gardens.
Arbors were prevalent in gardens all over the world. In some early societies, visitors would walk through their hosts' arbors to demonstrate their appreciation of the hospitality that was being extended to them, as well as to show that they recognized and accepted their hosts as friends.
Today, arbors are more popular than ever. You can use one to create a breath-taking entryway to your garden, display your prized climbing flowers and vines, add architectural interest or height to your garden, or to section it off into specific areas. Arbors, trellises, and pergolas can also provide a great deal of privacy, while obscuring objectionable scenery, which could include neighbors' houses - and, for that matter, neighbors.
These days, with all of the new materials available, the variety of arbors is wider than ever. CedarStore.com has the ultimate collection of garden arbors, as well as pergolas and trellises, ranging from hand-crafted, decay-resistant Western Red Cedar and top-grade, pressure-treated pine, to classic wrought iron, to nearly indestructible vinyl and polywood.
In an unbelievable choice of sizes and styles, these versatile structures will provide a striking display of your mastery of soil and seed. CedarStore.com also has gorgeous gated arbors, and arbors with built-in benches and swings. You can even use their Pergola Designer to build your perfect personal pergola, made from maintenance-free vinyl, in three easy steps.
