We weren’t completely happy with the last arch (in a set of four arches we recently put up to hold our climbing plants) but at the time we decided to live with it for a while and come back to it at a later date.
My husband wasn’t happy with it because it wasn’t completely square and there was some movement in the structure giving a lack of strength.
I wasn’t happy with the look of the ugly, thick, dark, rose branch sitting at the top of the arch.
We decided to take a hack saw to the thick branch and cut it out. We followed the branch along the fence removing all the parts attached to the big branch we were removing. It sounds simple but it was a thorny job leaving us both with scratches once more.
Taking this branch out, not only makes it look better, but has also taken some weight from the arch.
My husband then removed the angled struts at the top of the arch and replaced them. While doing this he managed to square up the upright and add screws to strengthen the structure and eliminate movement.
I then untied one of the thinner branches and retied it across the top of the arch, covering any bare parts.
We are really pleased with the final look. The arch now matches the other ones and looks so much better without the big, ugly, branch over the top. I have taken some before and after photos to demonstrate this.
The last arch before fine tuning
You can see the branch hanging down spoiling the look.
The branch is uglier on this side
The branch across the front of the arch is the one we removed.
It’s new look with no branch hanging down
It looks so much better
Now we have got rid of the branch hanging in front of the arch it looks neat and green like the other three. It has made a huge difference to the look and has taken some of the weight out too. We will now prune the rose every year to keep it to the arch.
We are really pleased with the final look and it was worth making this alteration but we are also really pleased that it is now finished. We don’t want to do this again in a hurry!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
You have a lovely oasis, a beautiful hidden garden!
Thank you. When we moved in there was nothing much here, just lawn which we gradually took out. We have planted it over the years and now it is really full and lush. We do really enjoy the garden.
i am glad you share. It is really pretty!
I will do another garden post soon. It is looking lovely at the moment and the veg plot has gone mad.
You and I are so very similar. When I don’t like something that no one else would notice, I can’t rest until it’s resolved. It looks really nice. You guys did a great job.
I am glad I am not alone. I wasn’t happy with the ugly branch but we had had enough at the time and I wasn’t sure if we should cut it out. It niggled away at me though and in the end I am so much happier now that it’s gone.
It looks good now, great job.
Thank you, we are happy with it now.