Pergola or no?

[PimpMyRamen]

Have Name Changed in case my garden pic outs me....

So, we are in the middle of an extension which will include a patio that we are creating by sinking the garden outside the extension. The retaining wall will have space for planting in, and steps up to the grassed area. I have visions of a pergola extending from the side of the house, to the retaining wall opposite. This will cover up almost half of the bifolds. I see festoon lights, a hanging chair, a bench and a chimnea, as well as maybe some honeysuckle, clematis or climbing roses growing up and over it.

Now for some context, our garden is south facing and has little to no shade from about 11 am onwards until sunset. My husband feels it will make the extension too dark, though we do also have a roof light in the extension on the same side that I want the Pergola. He also wants to look out and just see space ( our cottage is small so space, and perception of it is important). The patio area, once the walls are all built and it is laid, will be approx 4mx4m.

So my question is, Do you think this would be a bad idea? Will the house end up too dark even with the skylight? Will it ruin the sense of space? Or will it really be like I imagine, with my cosy seating area? Will it be a peaceful oasis that will extend the time we use the garden into the autumn, maybe even winter, or is that wishful thinking?

I have attached some rough drawings of the proposed section of garden, one with the pergola sketched in, one without. I've also attached a photo of the garden as it currently stands (mid build so an absolute wreck!)

What say ye, mumsnetters?

I wouldn't put a pergola straight off the house personally. I think it might block the light and make you feel too enclosed. We are SW-facing and planning on having a pergola at the back of the garden.

Even with the roof light and at least half of the bifolds open to direct sun?

We have no where else to put a pergola really

I have a pergola straight off my kitchen. It has a glazed roof to keep the kitchen and the outside space light.

I am thinking of doing exactly the same thing OP - our kitchen dining room got up to 38c last summer, it was insanely hot in the garden and house. I’d love to see how it looks if you do it, we are saving at the moment

I'd do your garden without and see how you go. You might find it's too hot and you need some shade so can put it in.
I saw on Gardeners World last Friday that a small London garden had a pergola put in but they made it much taller than usual. That might help with having the view of the garden from the house but having the shade you are after.

Think it very much depends what kind of pergola you are thinking of. If garden is south facing with no shade you might be glad a of pergola with a retractable shade to use on hot days. I don't think it would impact the light too much if its a fairly open structure especially if you get full sun there anyway. Definitely don't install one with a glass roof as it will be like sitting in a greenhouse!

I don’t actually understand rhe point of pergolas unless you basically roof it. It provides limited shade and no rain cover.

If you’re going to do it, why not go for a proper wooden gazebo?

I can assure you that having a glass roof is nothing like sitting in a greenhouse. It has two completely open sides .

We put up a pergola two years ago. It has a retractable awning. It is attached to the house outside the french doors in our sitting room. The garden is south west facing. I love it. It’s almost like having an extra room in the house. Our garden is quite a sun trap and gets quite hot. I’m not a sun worshipper so it’s ideal for me to sit out under on a sunny day. The sitting room is very bright anyway but it doesn’t block the light.

Dont "festoon it with lights" - lights in peoples gardens is on the increase atm and its having a terrible affect on night sky light pollution - terrible for the environment.
Dont get a chimnea either - literally heating the outdoors. Either its warm enough to sit outside or it isnt. Nice chunky cardigan instead.

@HasaDigaEebowai is yours it south facing? I was just thinking of a garden show that was on recently on which a couple had the same set up and when the sun was bearing through the glass roof they couldn't even sit there as it got too hot.

I wonder if you could do something very very lightweight - like just two/three L shaped beams (not explaining this very well) with plants on, rather than a heavy pergola.

Will see if I can find a pic

I want the same thing, I hate the sun! But don't want a gazebo to block out might in my kitchen too much so it seems like a good solution.

Slightly worried it might actually end up looking like a car port though.

Light not might

Best picture I could find, but I’m thinking you could just have the first 2 or 3 rows of wooden struts rather than loads.

Would be enough to climb plants up and string lights from and create a sense of enclosure but not much actual structure.

@longtompot

I'd do your garden without and see how you go. You might find it's too hot and you need some shade so can put it in. I saw on Gardeners World last Friday that a small London garden had a pergola put in but they made it much taller than usual. That might help with having the view of the garden from the house but having the shade you are after.

I had thought about waiting, but we have so many other projects that need doing, it is unlikely we'd invest the money for it down the line, over say replacing windows at the front, adding a second storey to the extension, renovating other parts of the house. We can't go any higher than roof height of extension because of aforementioned second storey

@minipie

Best picture I could find, but I’m thinking you could just have the first 2 or 3 rows of wooden struts rather than loads.

Would be enough to climb plants up and string lights from and create a sense of enclosure but not much actual structure.

This is the kind of structure we would be going for, but with the more traditional cross beams. We will only have support posts to the retaining wall, the other end will be fixed to the house

@Bluntness100

I don’t actually understand rhe point of pergolas unless you basically roof it. It provides limited shade and no rain cover.

If you’re going to do it, why not go for a proper wooden gazebo?

For me it's the ability to grow plants up and over it....but also it still lets some dappled light through, and won't block the view out over the garden completely like a gazebo would

@Peachylovesherpoochy

I am thinking of doing exactly the same thing OP - our kitchen dining room got up to 38c last summer, it was insanely hot in the garden and house. I’d love to see how it looks if you do it, we are saving at the moment

we previously had a small conservatory where our extension is, which we used as a playroom. Except in the summer when it was unbearably hot and bright. I was able to grow watermelons and chillis in it though!

Our dining table and seating area will be in the extension and I fear it will be unbearable over the summer. We are having integral blinds in the bifolds, but seems pointless to block the views all summer, we want to be able to see out, or have them open but still have shade options

Speak to a garden designer?

@HasaDigaEebowai is yours it south facing?

Yes it faces due south and gets sun all day. It has a wall to the east (single storey) and the house behind to the north. It honestly doesn’t get too hot to sit under. It’s nothing like being in a conservatory for example. I love it. It’s probably the most used part of our house and it’s great when the weather might potentially be a bit drizzly but its warm enough to be outside. We use it loads. Far more than we did before we put the glass on it.