MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE 

The arbour was built by my son Matthew from old reclaimed bridge timbers he had in his yard (The Salvage Yard, Castlemaine).

The ornamental grape vine, planted at home almost 20 years ago, had to be dug out to make room for a house extension.  I love using this very vigorous deciduous vine to grow over pergolas and arbors to provide summer shade, winter sun and amazing autumn colours.  One good hard prune in winter and a bit of summer trimming is all it needs and it can be relied upon to grow almost anywhere.

The plantings around the arbour are a blend of species that help to create an informal meadow or perennial garden.  The species that have been used here include Miscanthus ‘Adagio’,  Aster 'Monch', and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, visually at their very best in the autumn months.