Roman Pergola with Side Access

"We bought a 1960s town house with a mature garden, lots of shrubs, curved beds down the sides and lawn. Everything was very green. We had a vision to create an urban oasis, a series of garden rooms, everything we planted had to give utility (edible, fragrant, beautiful). We studied the orientation of the garden and wanted to create something of a feature down the south fence which was in shadow...we needed height and something of a framework to allow manageable growth. The thought of an arched walkway (extending the axis from the through shed was appealing), but the archway had to be permeable and fun, so we wanted breaks - like doors leading from a corridor.

We saw Harrod Horticultural at the Chelsea flower garden show and out of the products we saw at a variety of stands it blended function, elegance and adaptability. It avoided the cost of a truly bespoke installation (which had been quoted to us). We liked the idea that Harrod could take our ideas sketch and transform it into components. Their drawing did not take long to produce and we were given very friendly advice as we discussed comments. From the point of order to delivery - it was a faultless service. The installation was by our gardener, T&T Earthmatters. Katrina came down to look at the components and instructions with me, we developed a plan for installation, they spoke with customer service with a few queries and within a couple of days the installation was up.

Since then, we have been busy planting dwarf hops, trees to train as fans with a lavender base. The kitchen end has roses, peppers and rockets. It is all quite modest at present, but will be a fantastic element that will grow as we grow into our house. It is practical and a sensible height for me to reach. The kids also love it, racing in and out of the openings, hop-scotching down my offset path."

Mr Binsted, London