5 Top Landscaping Ideas for a Pavilion or Pergola in Camp Hill, PA

Updating your patio with a pergola or pavilion can greatly enhance your outdoor living experience. Both offer protection from the sun, and their presence adds a sophisticated touch. Here are our five top landscaping ideas for a pavilion or pergola in Camp Hill, PA.

The Difference Between a Pergola and a Pavilion

Both pergolas and pavilions are permanent outdoor structures with four open walls. The roof is supported by posts. In the case of a pergola, it’s an open roof that allows for air circulation but offers protection from the sun. In the case of a pavilion, the roof is solid, offering protection from all elements.

Which one you choose ultimately depends on personal preference. Do you just need a bit of relief from the sun? Then a pergola is an attractive way to bring shade to your outdoor living space. If you envision sitting outside with a good book on a rainy day, then a pavilion could be your best bet. In fact, a pavilion combined with an outdoor fireplace would make the space usable all year long.

Small-Space Wonders

If you have a narrow or awkwardly shaped side yard or backyard, a pergola or pavilion will create a usable nook for dining or relaxing. Pergolas and pavilions are square or rectangular, but otherwise have virtually no size restrictions. A pergola can be as deep as a single bench.

Freestanding Shelter

Most pergolas or pavilions are permanently installed on a patio. However, they can also be freestanding anywhere in your landscape. For example, if you have a hillside property and want a seating area where you can take in the sunsets, a pergola or pavilion will offer a sense of shelter.

If you love napping outdoors in a hammock or reading a good book on a porch swing, there may be no better way to beat the heat than under a pergola that lets the breeze through while blocking the sun.

If you want a permanent place to get out of the sun (or escape a sudden afternoon downpour) at poolside, a pavilion offers shade without the nuisance of dragging patio umbrellas around. Add tie-back outdoor curtains for privacy and comfortable lounge furniture for a relaxing spa-like feel.

A Cook’s Delight

Grilling is hot work. What better way to cool off than in the shade of a pergola? A pergola lets smoke escape through the open roof, while blocking the sun to keep the kitchen cool. Full-scale kitchens with a vented hood over the grill can be installed under a pavilion.

Sophisticated Dining and Entertaining

Today’s homeowners expect indoor conveniences and comforts in their outdoor living spaces. A pavilion lets you put nicer furniture outdoors than you could without a solid roof, or even a TV so you don’t miss a second of the game.

A pergola is a sophisticated warm-weather-loving solution to backyard entertaining. While it doesn’t offer protection from the rain, it does add elegance to an entertainment area.

Artistic Expression

A pergola or a pavilion can be transformed into a work of functional art. Add boho tie-back curtains for privacy and additional shelter from sun and wind. Or consider creeping flowering vines that transform the space into a secret garden. Or introduce the tranquility of a fountain adjacent to the structure, or even wind chimes.

A pergola or pavilion can add sophisticated functionality to your backyard and transform it into a staycation-worthy retreat.