Permanent Arbors

For many years I have been building arbors from black locust. Black locust has a long history of use as fenceposts on pioneer farms. All farms in the old days had a grove of locust trees set aside to be cut as needed. Farmers would often joke that the locust posts would outlast the hole.

I dig holes several feet deep and posts of 5-6 inches in diameter and 8-9 feet tall are set in the holes and packed with fieldstones and earth. Cross pieces and corkscrew willow trim is added. Large pole barn nails are used to hold the arbor together. The entire arbor is fitted and built on site to blend in with the surroundings. Being set in the ground, the posts strongly resist the forces of Nature, particularly wind.

I have built probably twenty or thirty over the years and most are still in use.

The first step is for me to visit the intended site and establish the size and how the arbor will fit into the surroundings. At this time I can provide an estimate of the cost.

The arbors I rent for weddings differ in that they are made of corkscrew willow and are much lighter. They can be used outdoors as well, but cannot be sunk in the ground. Corkscrew willow does not have the same durability in the ground. They can be anchored with steel posts