Anne Hathaway's garden features the perfect option for shade and privacy – 'it's a beautiful addition that will never date'

A covered arbor or pergola that adds privacy, shade, and scent is a tantalizing project for many of us this season. Actress Anne Hathaway and her husband, jewelry designer Adam Shulman, certainly share this sentiment. The couple's outdoor living room, designed by the renowned Pamela Shamshiri of Studio Shamshiri, is the patio garden I've always dreamed of.

I've loved pergolas since I was a child; they always seemed so magical, often adorned with scented plants, or twinkly lights – making me feel like I had somehow teleported to an enchanted forest. Fast forward thirty years, and I now love them for their ability to create shade and act as a good garden screening idea.

From overlooked urban gardens to cavernous country spaces, we all crave intimacy and intrigue whatever our garden size. A pergola is a simple way to create an enclosed space with fragrance if the right plants are incorporated. Providing vertical interest is important in a compact space and pergolas are ideal for scented blooms and creeping vines. 

Dining and entertaining under a beautiful canopy doesn’t have to be limited to holidays. It’s entirely possible to create that laid-back lifestyle at home with a wooden pergola, similar to the one in Anne Hathaway's patio.

Before embarking on a pergola project, garden designer Charlotte Rowe notes, ‘Only have a pergola or an arbor if you think you absolutely need one. I say this because people often think that they will give you shelter from the rain when, in fact, they really don’t, and they are more useful for providing shade from the sun.

The best place for a pergola will depend on the layout of your garden and your reasons for including it in your design. Garden designer Katrina Kieffer-Wells thinks pergolas work well in both sunny and shady spots depending on what time of day you will use it the most. ‘If you have a south-facing garden a partially enclosed pergola can create a tranquil retreat and offer respite on a hot summer’s day,’ she says. ‘In shade gardens, they can make a cozy night-time feature with the addition of ambient lights and hanging drapes.’

A pergola is the ideal way to introduce real drama and, with the right planting, it can transform a garden path or seating area. Planting also helps to blend the structure naturally into your garden. Andrew Downey, Agriframes managing director, advises to ‘start by planning the basic shape you want as soon as you plant your climber – flowers are produced more abundantly on horizontal stems rather than vertical ones, so tie stems along the cross bars of your pergola as soon as you can and keep tying them throughout the season to create a really good framework. Don’t forget to bring stems to the inside of the frame as well as to cover it so that you can enjoy flowers and fragrance as you walk underneath.’

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