Year-Round Outdoor Living: How to Use Your Garden Pergola in All Seasons

If you invest in a garden pergola, you are likely to want to be able to use it all year round. Each season brings an element that attracts us to spend time in our gardens, and pergolas can enhance that as they combine the feelings of being indoors and outdoors – perfect for the British weather.
Your pergola will not only protect you from the cold winter months but will also provide the needed shade during the summer months, allowing you to make the most of your garden all year round.
Read on to learn how to use your garden pergola in all seasons.
How to maintain your pergola for use all seasons
In order to make your garden pergola last, you will need to maintain it. Keeping your pergola clean is an essential part of its maintenance and will ensure that it is inviting all year round.
What do you need to maintain your garden pergola?
- Ladder – You will need a ladder to reach the tallest parts of the structure.
- Broom – Use the broom to sweep away any dirt or debris that has come in with shoes or the wind.
- Bucket, mild soap and a soft brush – Every so often, you will want to wash the structure to make sure mould doesn't grow and keep your pergola looking brand new all year round. Make sure to use a mild soap and a soft brush to avoid damaging the paintwork.
- Hose – Rinse the pergola thoroughly once you have finished washing it.
Creating a comfortable all-year pergola
As the seasons change, you will likely need to adjust items and accessories in your all-season pergola.
Fans
While they provide shade when the sun is strong over the summer, due to their open structure, they don't provide a cool space in the summer heat. With this in mind, you might want to consider adding fans so that there is a stream of air to help cool the space.
Roller screens
Bespoke roller screens are ideal for managing sunlight and privacy, making your pergola feel more like a covered pergola for year-round enjoyment. Choose from various styles, sizes, and colors to perfectly complement your pergola.
LED lighting
Don't let the sunset stop you from enjoying the evenings in your all-year-round pergola. Illuminate the space by fitting LED lights.
We provide a range of LED lighting solutions which use the latest technology to deliver an energy-efficient lighting solution that is fully controllable at the touch of a button. Plus, let the lighting set the mood by choosing our dim lighting.
Heat sources
There are a variety of ways to add heat to your pergola so that you can enjoy it even when there is a slight chill in the air.
The first option is to add patio heaters to your pergola. Our heaters can come with automation that will allow them to be tailored to your needs.
Another option would be to install a fire pit during the autumn and winter months.
If you are adding a heat source to your all-year-round pergola, we recommend that you have a cover over the top of the pergola as the heat rises. This will trap the warmth produced in the pergola, rather than escape immediately.
Sliding doors
Transform your pergola completely by adding sliding glass. These will provide shelter and separation from the elements without losing the panoramic view.
Adding sliding glass can help you make the most of your pergola all year round, as you will be able to easily open up the space when it is warm but keep the space closed off when it is cooler. And in those middle months when the weather sits in the middle of being warm and cold, have the door half open and half closed.
Broadview provides sliding doors that are made from durable glass and come with an easy sliding track system and stainless steel locks.
Sliding glass is a perfect solution for the British weather, as they will protect you from the April showers, allowing you to enjoy your garden pergola in any bad weather.
What can you use your all-year-long pergola for?
Once you have kitted out your pergola with some of these accessories, there are plenty of ways to use the space throughout the year.
- Outdoor meal space – Enjoy the warm summer evenings with dinner outside in your pergola.
- Entertainment space – Whether it is closed off or not, your all-year-round pergola is a great space to host parties and events, no matter what time of year it is.
- Reading nook – Hole up in a cosy corner of the pergola with a book. Change the space as the seasons change by bringing out hot chocolate in autumn and winter or ice cream in the summer.
- Leisure area – Put a few blankets out and a speaker and use the space to relax after a day at work or a busy day with the family.
Planning on using your pergola all year round? Find out more about how our accessories can be used to make it the perfect space throughout the year. Contact our team by calling us on 01202 679012.