EXTERIORS Festooned

↗ A white, unadorned pergola helps define an outdoor dining area and adjoins a fire pit.

EXTERIORS

PACIFYING PERGOLAS

Open-air structures admit breezes, invite relaxation

by AUDREY POST

Outdoor living spaces can be many things: a patio; a deck; a covered porch — screened or not; a pavilion. A pergola, however, can transform your outdoor space into an oasis like no other.

What exactly is a pergola? At its most basic, it is a free-standing, opensided structure with a top of parallel crossbeams. But there are a lot of variations on that theme.

For example, a structure attached to a house or outbuilding on the property is a sort of pergola, even though only three sides are open.

A seating area framed by four beams and covered with a shade cloth instead of parallel beams on top is generally considered a “hybrid pergola.” Some people consider a shade sail, a triangular-shaped cloth suspended by three hooks high above the seating area, as a form of a pergola — although purists would scoff at that idea.

So what exactly are the advantages of a pergola over other types of

landscape shade structures? It depends on what you want.

Compared to a gazebo or pavilion — which are fully roofed, stand-alone structures in the landscape — a pergola’s “open weave” roof offers more access to breezes. Coastal areas get far more breezes than inland areas. Still, during the dog days, capturing every bit of moving air that’s out there is a blessing.

If a space that offers protection from the sun and rain is your goal, a gazebo, pavilion or a covered porch might be a better option.

However, if just reducing the amount of sunlight is your goal, while keeping as much air movement as possible, a pergola could be the answer. The parallel beams across the top don’t fully block the sun, but they block enough to reduce the heat to the seating area below. Given the additional airflow, it’s a trade-off.

While the physical attributes of a pergola are many, the mental and emotional benefits can be even greater.

A pergola helps create a quiet, intimate space that becomes a focal point and center of (chill) activity.

Pergolas also offer a place for plants to climb the vertical supports. Whether flowering vines such as honeysuckle and Confederate jasmine or edibles such as grapes and kiwis, climbing plants help create a sense of enclosure and privacy.

Some pergolas attract lots of stuff. They are for their owners like empty closets that demand utilization. So it is that those climbing plants may be joined by plants potted and hanging and by outdoor furniture, a gas grill, a dartboard, a mini-fridge, a big sticky black ball that attracts yellow flies and one of those mesh enclosures with butterfly pupae inside.

Others may be bereft of trappings and activity, like treehouses after the children fledge.

A pergola that lies between those extremes can slow the world down.

Given the lockdowns and social distancing necessary over the past few months because of the coronavirus, some might wonder whether the world has slowed a little too much. But it has been a slowing of an unrelaxed sort. Mental health experts find that the world’s problems are weighing on us more heavily now than ever. Our isolation offers scant distraction from them.

Perhaps a lounge chair beneath a pergola, with a soothing wind chime pealing comforting tones, can provide an antidote. EC

↑ Pergolas are like a playground apparatus for climbing plants, including flowering vines and edibles such as grapes and kiwi fruit.

McNeill Palm

A SANCTUARY IN YOUR HOME

After a year of high anxiety, the approach of spring and summer and the possibility of spending more time outdoors are particularly exciting. Whether inside or out, nothing makes living with light and heat more enjoyable than the ability to control both. At McNeill Palm, we are always at the forefront of automated shading systems. Regardless of your shading needs, we continue our legacy of providing cutting-edge technology for windows and outdoor structures.

Long established as the go-to source for the latest in window-shading technology, McNeill Palm is constantly researching new products that will enhance your living experience. To that end, we have welcomed several exciting products that are now available for your home.

One reality that has emerged the past few months is the fundamental value of our homes and outside spaces, making options of new and existing designs essential. With a talented and experienced staff, McNeill Palm can help you find the solution to any shading needs, simple or complex. With a wealth of information garnered over 47 years of experience, McNeill Palm can meet the most demanding requirements needed to provide your home with joy and comfort. We’ll help you develop a beautiful and personal sanctuary for you and your family — right in your own home.