A glorious garden deserves a glorious garden gate.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of a beautiful gate in your garden. These examples show what to do – and in one or two cases, what not to do.
1. A beautiful stone arch
It’s no surprise that this gate lives in a garden created by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll.
A garden gate at Hestercombe. The garden was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll between 1904 and 1908.
2. A modern secret garden
This wall and gate was erected in 2002, but has a completely timeless quality.
A garden gate at Broughton Grange
3. An opening within an opening
Added grandeur guaranteed.
Milly the lurcher framed by the doorway from the courtyard to the park at Stow Hall.
4. Perfect framing
The roses will need cutting back sooner or later for the sake of easy access, but it can wait until the flowers have withered.
A shed in the conservatory garden at Wytherstone House.
4. Painted perfection
This lovely old archway looks all the better for a pristine and sympathetically-coloured door.
View of the gardens at Wretham Lodge in East Wretham, Norfolk.
5. Mixed purpose
A pretty design of fretwork panels in the upper section enables views, but prevents animal access.
6. Wonderful whimsy
Never be afraid to have a bit of fun with your garden.
A door made up of forks in the garden at Broadwoodside
7. Keeping it simple
Remember that the plants must always be the true star of your garden.
English country garden with lupins, poppies, dry stone wall and wooden gate in Oxfordshire
8. Get twisted
Don’t automatically assume your gate should be made from picket or panels
Garden with roses and slate pathways
9. Arch virtue
You don’t always need a gate to make a great gateway.
Girl walking through garden gate carrying umbrella
10. Mixed use
Wood and iron can make a great combination.
Garden gate
10. Planning ahead
It’s going to take years before the climbing plants cover this gateway thickly. It’ll be worth the wait…
Garden featuring arch with gates leading into lawn area and feature gazebo
12. Hedging your bets
See what we mean about it being worth the wait for green archways to grow in?
Free roaming chickens in a garden by the gate
13. Showing the way
A slate sign is all you need to let people know that your gate is fashionably dilapidated. Rather than just rusted.
In the garden, written in chalk on slate, hanging on a front gate
14. Grand entrance
If you’re planning a garden from scratch, don’t be afraid to go to own with double gates.
An open wooden garden gate in an English country garden showing a view to the wider garden beyond.
15. Keep up appearances
Shabby chic? Nope. Just shabby.
Old Gateway, Ardmore, County Waterford, Ireland
16. I can see clearly now
Anything other than a wire fence and gate would have been a crime when overlooking a view like this.
Garden Gate, Marin County, California, USA
17. Irresistible combination
When it all comes together, gate and garden can work in perfect harmony to create an effect that is simply beautiful.
A corner of the Rose Garden at Broadleas Garden Devizes Wiltshire
