Arbors, Pergolas and Follies, oh my

What is a folly you say? 

Follies are simple temple-like structures meant to be a plant frame, today as well as a hundred years ago when temples in the garden were originally used as a place of contemplative thought...today used for a summer house or a
shady place to sit.

A garden that slowly reveals itself excites curiosity and maintains interest. Arbors and pergolas are garden structures designed to bring a feeling of intimacy and secrecy into the garden. A pergola is basically an extended arbor.

These follies at Great Comp and Pashley Place in England are simple examples of how a folly can command attention like few other garden embellishments can.

I would classify this as a folly, not very typical but it's definitely unique.

 This is the classic example of the rose covered arbor most gardeners would love to have. This is actually three consecutive arbors at Goodestone Gardens in England.

The series of arbors here at West Dean form a series of alleys, a perfect frame leading to a garden bench at the end.

Arbors draw you through a garden, leading you down the garden path, so to speak, not knowing where it leads but because your curiosity is peaked, you go willingly.

 Not all arbors of made of metal or wood...this lovely one is formed from a yew hedge at Batemans, home of Rudyard Kipling.

An arbor doesn't have to be a small entrance either, such as these very large ones at Merriments and Batemans in England.

 I found this structure very interesting, just pieces of willow bent and roped together to form a simple arbor and each leg of the structure served as host to climbing vines.

There's no more spectacular example of a pergola than this 300-foot Edwardian Pergola at West Dean Gardens in England. It spanned through several levels, had a pond in the center and ended with this charming little room complete with a bench to relax and contemplate the view.