Garden gates are used in landscape design to enclose, define, and control outdoor living spaces. The boundaries they create can delineate individual ownership or produce divisions that compartmentalize areas within a yard. They may serve to welcome friends and family while turning away would-be intruders. In addition to controlling entry and exit, these garden features can also be made highly decorative. They may also frame views or be openings within fences, which create distinctive design statements.
Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a contractor, first determine your need. If well-designed, it should not only compliment its surroundings but also function efficiently. For instance, if you require security, then the structure must be tall, strong, and difficult for people to scale.
Another consideration is width. It should be wide enough to admit expected traffic, which may include lawnmowers and other equipment as well as people. Ideally, these structures should not measure more than four feet in width. An unsupported hinged gate will sag under its own weight if it is too wide. Therefore a double gate may be required if greater width is necessary. The direction the gate will swing is another matter to consider.
In addition, these features must respect the look of the house and garden they are going to serve. The design and materials will depend on its immediate surroundings. For example, arched gates can serve as compliments to high fences. These structures may even be married with trellises to create grand entrances, function as support for vining plants, or be connected to metal handrails. And even basic designs can be adapted to a wide variety of styles depending on the shape, size, and spacing of the siding.
Whether serving as entryways to properties, as beautiful openings within gardens, or reinforcing privacy, these yard features are always visually dynamic. They can also increase your property's curb appeal.