Pergolas
Nothing can beat the sheer pleasure of sitting out the back of your house under a pergola while enjoying a meal with friends.
A wooden pergola with a grape vine over it is the most romantic of all options. Nonetheless, grape vines provide shade but do not protect you against rain. An insulated foam and metal roof like Bondor or Solarspan provides shade, rain protection and heat, protection as well. This is by far the most practical solution. Corrugated iron or similar products heat up in the sun and cook all those below it, so get the insulated products.
One exception is the Chinese gooseberry or kiwi fruit. These are great grown on a pergola. The fruit hang down and are easy to pick. You need both a male and a female plant to get fruit.
If you do choose a grape vine, it is better to opt for an ornamental grape as they are much hardier EVEN IF they don’t produce fruit.
Hooroo!
