Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses something in our gardens that dates right the way back to 1400BC, yet is as popular today than ever before. It’s the humble pergola.

If there’s one addition you’re thinking of making to your outdoor space this year, consider a pergola.

They can be built in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials to suit any garden style or size, either freestanding, or attached to a house or other garden structure, and will give you the necessary height that means you can experiment with vertical gardening – think climbing plants such as vines, roses, and wisteria – without having to worry about awkward poles, wonky trellises and more!

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A pergola provides a real focal point to the garden, and is brilliant for shade and shelter.

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3. Slightly damaged (6)

4. Violent fight (6)

5. Revise (4)

6. Indication (4)

There’s also the privacy element, and the fact pergolas are generally low maintenance and can last for many years with minimal upkeep.

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As for cost, my advice is to shop around and see what you can get. From the very basic costing a couple of hundred pounds to

8. Cut and dried (3)

10. Going with (9)

13. Television tube (9)

15. Aristocracy (5) elegant stone-pillared creations that go well into four figures, your budget and your personal taste can lead the way in creating for you a garden centrepiece that will evolve in the same way that your garden does.

16. Plenty of (5)

18. Show, demonstrate (5)

22. Improving, make better (6)

With good maintenance, your pergola has the ability to outlast the majority of other features in your garden… just ask the Romans!

23. Country controlled by a more powerful one (6)

24. Mass of white bubbles (4)

25. Change (4)

27. 2nd person (3)

28. Departed (4)

29. Nylon shelter (4) Answers: