Gazebo's Create a Romantic Garden Retreat

Also known as pavilions, summer houses, pagodas, screen houses, kiosks, pergolas, grottos, and arbors, gazebos have a long, colorful history.

The word “gazebo” first appeared in 1752 in the book New Designs for Chinese Temples by architect William Halfpenny. Etymologists speculate that Halfpenny invented the word by combining the word “gaze” with the Latin ending ebo, “I shall see.” Indeed, the gazebo was originally a rooftop structure used mainly for observation.

Egyptian royalty prized the gazebo as an essential feature of the garden, as depicted in murals and tombs dating back as early as 1400 B.C. They were also popular in ancient Rome and Pompeii with the aristocracy and were built along the Mediterranean as summerhouses. In the U.S. today, gazebos are becoming almost as common as garages.

Some gazebos are used for the traditional purpose of providing a quiet place to enjoy the beauty of nature, and they are often located in a garden, while others serve as entertainment centers, summer houses, or detached porches. A gazebo may be a simple structure with a roof, or it may be screened in and have doors, windows, decks, electricity, and plumbing. A gazebo may be elaborate, with special lighting, a hot tub, a fire pit, and a brick barbecue. Common landscaping accessories surrounding the gazebo include ornamental fountains, arbors, bird feeders, wishing wells, bird baths, Koi ponds, and bridges. There is something magical about the gazebo that ignites the imagination.

A gazebo may be constructed of wood or synthetics. Durable Western red cedar is a popular choice. It contains natural oils that protect it from decay, and its dimensional stability keeps it from warping. It may be sealed and stained to maintain its radiant reddish hue or allowed to weather to a rich gray.

Gazebos are also made from sturdy, pressure-treated pine, which is highly resistant to insects and decay. Before and after pressure treatment, the pine is subjected to a kiln-drying process to minimize warping, twisting, and checking. A combination stain-sealer should be applied every year to the gazebo, including the roof and floor, to protect it from the weather.

Vinyl gazebos, made with treated pine covered in an attractive vinyl coating, are exceptionally durable and maintenance free.

Consider your climate when contemplating buying a gazebo. If your area experiences harsh weather conditions such as heavy snows or rains, high winds, or severe storms like tornadoes or hurricanes, you might want to buy a heavy-duty gazebo such as the new Category 4 Hurricane Gazebo from GazeboCreations.com. This gazebo has heavy-duty metal in its construction, high wind-load brackets and hangers, and reinforced posts, floor joists, braces, rafters, and other components.

Informational articles:
 Yards | Backyard pools | Home furniture | Decor and windows

©, Garden Furniture Showroom.com
All rights reserved.