Why Are Pergolas So Popular?

May 04, 2022

Pergolas have been around in one form or another for centuries, adorning gardens around the world to hang plants from and to provide shade, so why are they so popular again?

Our new Proteus Aluminium Pergola is available in the popular Anthracite Grey colour

While they’ve always been available, they’ve not been as popular as this for quite some time, with more and more homeowners choosing to erect some form of pergola. The 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show was a real indicator of just how popular they’ve become, with many of the designs showing off both standard and more imaginative pergola styles. To help understand this recent rise in favour of the traditional garden structure, we’re taking a look at what makes them appealing — and we’ll also tell you how you can get your hands on one too. Here are three things that make pergolas so popular:

The Proteus aluminium pergola with louvred roof comes in an attractive Pebble Grey that lifts the colour of matching paving. Adjustable side screens or fixed-louvres side screens are an optional extra.

They create more living space

We all want to enjoy our gardens more, but without structures like pergolas it might seem a little underwhelming. Give yourself - and your guests - a proper, welcoming space by adding a pergola. This can be placed further out into your garden, or simply close by to your patio doors to create a sense of extending the indoor space. It’s hard to put a real value on how much an outdoor living space can improve things, but after the two years we’ve had, it should be obvious why this is an important feature for your mental health and well-being. Whether you choose to use the space for sipping cocktails in the summer or doing some yoga under climbing vines in the spring, it’s a space that will allow you to fully utilise your garden.

They allow for vertical planting

If you’re dreaming of a picturesque garden with fine Italian porcelain paving stones and exotic plants, then the vision surely isn’t complete without a little more verticality? Traditionally, we’re used to seeing shrubs and other smaller plants dotted around or arranged to help the garden flow outwards, but what about upwards? Pergolas give you a chance to arrange plants that climb and intertwine with the structure, or you can hang creations from the beams overhead. Whatever you choose to do, it’s a fantastic way to draw eyes up from the ground and gives your planting a different dimension.

Transform the roof effortlessly with tilting louvres

They provide shaded spaces

Yes, the sunshine is great, giving your mood a much-needed boost if you can catch those rays. But while they’re few and far between across a 12-month period, intense sunlight isn’t always great when you want to relax in comfort. That’s where a pergola with a louvred roof comes in handy. Whether you want to read, doze off or eat a meal without the glare of the sun, all you have to do is adjust the roof on your pergola to get the shaded space you desire. This also ties in with our previous point about plants, as they too can create shade if allowed to weave their way around and between a wooden pergola.

Outdoor living from London Stone

If the idea of a pergola for your garden is one that has you excited, then take a look at our high-quality aluminium pergolas from Nova - rust-proof, UV-resistant and powder-coated, with a hand-crank mechanism that takes as little as 30 seconds to open and close the roof. There's also the option of adjustable blinds or fixed-louvre sides. Many of our showrooms have an example on display. Phone to check if your nearest is one of them and come and have a coffee with us! Post updated: February 2026

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