Another project

We put the metal arches in, up our garden path, to hold our roses, honeysuckle, clematis and jasmine, when we first moved here, ten years ago. We bought the metal arches because they were the cheapest option at the time and we needed four of them.

They did the job because the climbing plants we had put in were just getting started. Ten years on the roses have become heavy and the metal arches are no longer up to the job. They had began to buckle and break. It was time for something more sturdy.

After looking at options we could buy it soon became clear that everything was going to be really expensive and it would be difficult to find something the right shape and size for the job.

My husband decided that the only option was to buy some wood and make something himself. Buying the materials we needed would be a fraction of the price of anything ready made and he could make them to fit.

This weekend he made a start on the worst one. We decided that we would tackle the job one arch at a time starting with the most broken ones first.

He decided to start fitting the new arches and then break out the metal ones. He made them higher than before so that we could raise the rose up giving us more space underneath. My job was to cut loose all the wire and then retie everything once we had finished.

The old metal arches

Making a start on the first wooden arch

The first arch is finished

The arch from the other direction

We are both really pleased with the end result. It fits in so much better with everything else in the garden. It looks rustic, it’s really sturdy and it gives us more space underneath. It will make it much more manageable to keep the planting where we want it.

Only three more to go! We will probably try to do one each weekend until we get the job done. I think it’s going to look really good when it’s finished.