The landscaping of the infield looks spectacular when various small architectural forms are used. One of these elements is an arch for grapes, without which it is now difficult to imagine the full-fledged design of a site or a house territory.
Functional features of arches
An arch twined with grapes has always been and will be an elegant and beautiful decoration of landscape design. But, in addition to aesthetic appeal, it carries with it multifunctionality.
- The entrance to the site, designed as an arch under the grapes, located above the gate, always looks very impressive and brings a twist to the monotony of the fence.
- The arch, located at the end of the alley, can be the final decorative element, and equipped with a bench - can be a cozy resting place in a quiet corner of the garden.
- Three or four arches connected to each other can play the role of an open garden gazebo.
- The arcade along the path, made of several identical structures, creates a peculiar, covered with grapes covered passage, stretched from the gate to the entrance to the apartment building. By the way, there can be several such arcades in a section connecting different zones.
- The arch for grapes can be an entrance element for a barbecue zone or to crown an entrance to a playground.
How to care for a grape arch
Looks great arches twined with girl's grapes. Not only is it unpretentious, grows well and is resistant to disease, it is also very beautiful, especially in the fall, when its foliage acquires a deep red color.
In order to constantly please the eye with grapes on the arch, pruning should be timely, as well as simple care:
- young shoots should be directed immediately, as planned, and fixed on the arch;
- branches sticking out to the sides should be removed immediately;
- as soon as the grapes completely braid the arch, all excess is cut off;
- thick shoots should be cut over a healthy kidney;
- pruning is done every year.
Types of arches
Self-decoration of a personal plot is always distinguished by uniqueness and special charm, since everyone puts his soul into this work. So the made arch for grapes with their own hands is not only a useful garden element, but also a beautiful composition that brings real aesthetic pleasure.
Do-it-yourself arch can be equipped in different ways. She may be:
- wooden, from bars and gratings;
- metal, made of pieces of steel pipes and rods;
- plastic, consisting of plastic pipes.
Wooden arch
For those who have woodworking skills, it’s quite easy to make a structure like an arch under grapes with their own hands. In the simplest version, such an arch can have a U-shape, the racks and crossbars of which will be made of wooden beams. The arch can be made of metal rods or ordered wooden arcs in a carpentry workshop. The distance between the racks is usually filled with wooden bars. In addition, the size of the racks should be 1 m more than the average human height.
In order for the wood to serve for a long time, it must first be impregnated with an antiseptic, coated with a stain, then with a moisture-resistant varnish and finally painted with paint. The arch painted white looks very impressive.
The racks are dug into the ground, ramming the pits with rubble, or concrete them. Then the supports are fastened from above with trims, having previously checked their verticality with a plumb, and set the arch. To fasten all the elements using a screwdriver and screws.
The last stage - decorative racks are installed between the racks.
Metal arch
Arch for grapes, made of metal with their own hands, looks very elegant. The only difficulty here is that you cannot do without welding.
The installation sequence for the manufacture of such an arch does not differ from the previous version.
4 pillars are dug into the ground from pieces of metal pipes of the required height (at least 2 m), the base is well fixed, and then a semicircular arch is constructed from steel rods, connecting all the elements by welding. After that, the distance between the posts is filled, and this can be not only a metal ladder, but also a diamond-shaped lattice, which looks much more beautiful.
Before starting work, all structural elements are treated with anti-corrosion compounds, primed and painted to prevent rust.
Plastic pipe arch
An arch for grapes made of plastic pipes, in fact, is the best solution. This is primarily due to the properties of plastic, which is not susceptible to decay and corrosion. In addition, such pipes bend very well, and the entire structure is lightweight, without losing its strength.
Ideally for this purpose, plastic pipes designed for heating or water supply are suitable. Following the same technology and work sequence as for metal or wooden arches, plastic is only fastened in a different way. The only condition is that the pipes must be of the same diameter, and connect them using a torch or a special soldering iron, which is used when installing plastic pipes.
The arch for grapes will always find a worthy place in the garden, and doing it yourself is very simple. The main thing is to apply diligence and, incorporating imagination, create your own unique masterpiece that will please the eye for a long time.