What is a Gazebo?

Gazebos are large vertical decorative features which support climbing plants and a place for people to rest in. In general Gazebo is used to describe any roofed open structure, supported by columns in a garden.

Where does the name Gazebo come from?

The way I heard it, the original purpose of a gazebo was to create an ideal spot for ‘gazeing' at a garden.

What are the main elements of a Gazebo?

Gazebos are primaritly used as seating areas, so somewhere to sit is pretty essential. A bit of shelter from sun and wind and a good view are the other main elements.

Made of Stone, Wrought Iron or Wood ( a curse on the idiot who invented the plastic Gazebo). The old traditional style of Gazebo that has its roots in British 18th century country garden design looked like a Palladian Temple.

How much does a Gazebo cost?

We have seen wooden Gazebos costing little more than a garden seat in our local garden centre. At the other end of the range people pay tens of thousands for a large custom built Gazebo.

Will my garden suit a Gazebo?

Yes, all gardens can have a Gazebo if you scale it correctly. Tiny Gazebos in huge spaces look as silly as massive Gazebos in tiny spaces.

Gazebo plans and Gazebo kits

gazeboThere are plenty of plans to download from the web if you are looking to build a gazebo yourself.

If you are good at construction you could build a fantastic Gazebo for a tiny fraction of the cost of a ready made one.

Remember to use materials that are in keeping with the local environment. If sandstone is a traditional local building material, why build a slate gazebo? If the local building wood is Oak, why use Ash?

Gazebo designs

There are millions of designs out there. Find the gazebo that is right for your garden.