Knowing Your Landscaping Architecture: A Pergola, an Arbor or a Trellis?

Landscaping Architecture Terms: Pergola vs. Arbor vs. Trellis 

With more and more people entering the creative world of landscape design, the Fallas Landscape team is getting more questions and orders for pergolas, arbors, and trellises. What we have found, however, is that many people do not fully comprehend these three unique types of landscaping architecture. People use them interchangeably, and some lawn enthusiasts think they can refer to any piece of landscaping architecture in a garden as either a pergola, an arbor, or a trellis. These unique structures serve different purposes, and today the Fallas Landscape team will help define these different structures for you.

PERGOLA

Pergolas act as shaded areas in popular outdoor meeting spaces. Typically constructed with four or more wood beams that hold up a roof of wooden cross beams, pergolas provide a bit of shade without blocking the sun completely. Great for stonework patios and gathering spots in a garden, pergolas offer shade while allowing you to still enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes pergolas have vines and flowers growing up their support beams, but of all three of these structures, they are most likely to be seen bare. No other landscaping architecture offers a great gathering spot as well as pergolas.

ARBOR

Though they provide shade and offer a bit of respite from the sun, arbors serve a slightly different purpose from pergolas. Also, typically a wooden structure with two or more support beams and a cross beam roof, arbors are pieces of landscaping architecture that act as entrances to gardens and lawns. Often times, you will find lattice work up the sides and across the top of arbors. Vines and intricate designs offer more shade from arbors than most pergolas.

TRELLIS

Unlike both pergolas and arbors, trellises are almost always covered in vines or flowers of some kind. Many people use these pieces of landscaping architecture to divide spaces in their garden or to help their vines grow. Trellises tend to be smaller than arbors and pergolas, but they don’t have to be. Their smaller lattice work gives vines and flowers more support to grow taller up the side of the trellis. They offer some shade, but this isn’t their primary purpose.

LANDSCAPING ARCHITECTURE WITH FALLAS LANDSCAPE

Knowing landscaping architecture and landscaping design is what we do at Fallas. Our Fallas Landscape team has years of experience creating beautiful trellises, pergolas, and arbors for lawns across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For a professional and experienced Dallas landscaper, contact Fallas Landscape.