Making Room for all the Ramblers
I’ve mentioned before my love of all things that ramble through the garden. Roses, pumpkins, gourds, squash, flowers—if it loves to climb, wander, and weave its way through the landscape, I’m all for it.
Creating a beautiful place for those plants to grow while making them a feature of the garden became a project I knew I wanted to tackle. The raised beds were the perfect first step, but I also wanted a structure that would give the ramblers plenty of room to spread out while still allowing space for neighboring plants. Good airflow, healthy growth, and room to ramble to and fro were all part of the plan.
One project always seems to lead to another.
We’ve continually debated whether to add gates to the three openings of the garden. One idea was to make the central opening on the long side the main entrance since it faces the rest of our yard. It would provide easy access while creating an attractive focal point leading into the garden.
Finding Inspiration
As with so many of our projects, the first stop was Pinterest for ideas and inspiration.
We wanted something that would blend seamlessly with our existing garden structures and complement the style of our home. The vision was an arbor that would be both beautiful and functional—a welcoming entrance that also served a purpose.
Together, Mike and I sketched out a design: tall and open with sturdy supports and multiple crosspieces across the top for climbing plants. The main structure would be built from wood, while incorporating the same metal screening we had already used around the sides of the garden. Our goal was for the arbor to look like it had always belonged there.
As always, I have to thank Mike for another incredible job. He built a structure that’s both beautiful and incredibly solid. Like every project we tackle together, we stood back when it was finished and made our traditional declaration:
“That’s not going anywhere.”
Considering the weight of pumpkins, gourds, squash, and whatever else I decide to grow on it, that strength is definitely important!
The Finishing Touch
The finished arbor turned out to be exactly what we hoped for. It’s tall enough for us to comfortably walk underneath while providing plenty of vertical growing space. Its width fits perfectly between the raised garden boxes, allowing us to plant on either side and let the vines naturally climb up, over, and across the structure.
Sometimes one improvement highlights another.
Once the arbor was complete, we stepped back to admire the garden as a whole. It was early spring before planting had begun, so without all the lush seasonal growth, everything looked… nice, but a little plain.
The year before, we’d stained the arbor on our outdoor kitchen and loved how it turned out. I had originally considered painting the garden boxes when we built them but fell in love with the natural look of the fresh wood. I even toyed with painting everything black, but it never quite suited the style we were trying to create.
Instead, we headed out for stain and spent the next while treating every garden box, cover, and the new arbor.
The result was even better than I had imagined. The rich finish brought the whole garden together, making it feel warm, cohesive, and established.
We finished it off with solar lights and a wonderful sign!
A Pumpkin Paradise
The first year with the arbor was definitely a success.
We grew an abundance of pumpkins—classic orange varieties, dramatic dark black pumpkins, and some absolutely beautiful blue beauties.
I may have gotten just a little carried away with the number of ramblers I planted in one space. While the pumpkins themselves thrived, I did battle squash beetles and powdery mildew. Thankfully, with some research and careful treatment, I was able to manage the problems while protecting the plants, beneficial insects, and the rest of the garden.
It also gave me the opportunity to learn how to better prepare for the following growing season
Despite those challenges, I couldn’t have been happier with the harvest. The pumpkins became beautiful displays around our home throughout the fall, and of course, we saved a few for carving.
One of my favorite parts of gardening is sharing the harvest. Our neighbors have chickens, and we love trading starts, produce, and fresh eggs throughout the season. Garden trimmings become treats for the chickens, and the pumpkins are always one of their favorite autumn snacks.
This Year's Adventure: Loofahs
This year, I’m trying loofahs again.
I’ve grown them for several years using a temporary support structure in the middle of one of my raised beds, but this year they’re finally getting to climb the arbor.
I started eight plants from seed, and they were off to a fantastic start. After the danger of frost had passed, we planted them out, although one surprise late frost claimed a few of them.
The survivors, however, have done wonderfully.
They’re winding their way along the metal screening, climbing over the top of the arbor just as I’d imagined. Bright yellow flowers have appeared, and tiny loofahs are already beginning to develop.
While young loofahs are edible, I grow mine for the mature fibrous centers that become the natural sponges we all know and love. They’re wonderful for cleaning around the house, washing the car, and even for bathing.
And in my opinion, nothing cleans a wine glass quite like a loofah.
I’ll be sharing everything I’ve learned about growing, harvesting, and preparing loofahs in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!
OH! And we have a lovely dove who has chosen the arbor as her nesting place.
